LoGICane low GI sugar launched in New Zealand

Following the success of LoGiCane in Australia, the world's first low GI cane sugar crossed the Tasman in November and is now available throughout New Zealand. Distributed by NZ Sugar under their iconic Chelsea Sugar brand, LoGiCane has been dubbed...

"the most exciting news to the sugar category in 125 years!"

Sounds a rather tall claim, but consider these points...

• Over the past century, not much has changed in the way sugar is refined.
• Sugar is often regarded by nutritionists as a hollow ingredient because it contains virtually no minerals.
• LoGiCane is the first all natural cane-derived sugar to be certified as low GI by the Glycemic Index Foundation, and with a low GI of 50, is the first cane sugar suitable for diabetics.

That's a pretty big breakthrough in an industry that has increasingly come under fire for contributing to the diabesity epidemic. We're not so sure that sugar is the real culprit, but we do agree that sugar ought be consumed in moderation as part of a balance diet, and not in excess.

Whilst it's nigh impossible to avoid added sugars in packaged foods, where we can make a choice, we believe we ought to make the best choices possible. For this reason, we're proud of LoGiCane as it represents a healthier, more nutritious alternative to white sugar.

Sugar: go for quality, not quantity

The American Heart Association has urged people to cut the amount of added sugar in their diet.
Surprisingly perhaps for a sugar product company, we agree. In fact, it is the excess consumption of white sugar which prompted our scientists to develop a healthier sugar in the first place.

Associate Provost and Professor of Nutrition at the University of Vermont Rachel Johnson points out that “sugar has no nutritional value other than to provide calories. Consuming foods and beverages with excessive amounts of added sugars displaces more nutritious and beverages for many people.”

This is true for white sugar, however LoGiCane is not a hollow nutrient. The following table compares LoGiCane low GI sugar with white sugar:

About 4 years ago, Horizon Science discovered that an enormous amount of valuable phytochemicals (antioxidants) were being discarded during the sugar refining process.

We identified molasses as being a rich source of antioxidant polyphenols (a type of phytochemical). Further research lead us to develop a method of naturally extracting the identified antioxidant polyphenols from the molasses and retain them in just the right amount to consistently produce a low GI sugar.

So not only is LoGiCane certified as low GI, it also is a source of some valuable nutrients usually discarded during the sugar refining process.

LoGiCane is a natural, wholesome product made from sugarcane. LoGiCane retains more of the natural polyphenols, organic acids and minerals from sugarcane. It contains no chemical additives and has not been genetically modified. LoGiCane can be fully substituted for regular white sugar.

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My first LoGiCane experience

Australian nutritionist Catherine Saxelby recently blogged her first experience with LoGiCane (read it here) on Foodwatch.

Her blog correctly points out that white sugar...

"adds nothing to your nutrition intake except sucrose - no vitamins, no minerals, no antioxidants. A nutritionist once dubbed it ‘pure, white and deadly' for just this reason"

By contrast, LoGiCane retains many of the powerful nutrients found naturally occuring in sugar cane. Look at the difference...

Catherine also correctly notes that 75% of our sugar intake is from manufactured foods and that manufacturers are not using LoGiCane - yet.

We're currently in discussion with several prominent food manufacturers about starting to use LoGiCane in food manufacturing. Testing conducted by Sydney University's SUGiRS Human Nutrition Unit confirmed that the use of LoGiCane in a range of manufactured foods did have an impact on the GI of those foods, although some more than others. The foods tested included ice-cream, cola drinks, chocolate and chocolate drinks.

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