Glucoholic - Sugar Free Snacks

Our regular readers are probably beginning to notice that The Glucoholic has a serious addiction to Cracker Barrel. It started some time ago when Cracker Barrel introduced their low carb menu options. It doesn’t hurt that those menu items taste great. Add to that a country store that periodically carries interesting sugar free products, and you’ve got what we like to call a no-brainer spot to grab some grub and look for some low carb goodies.

We recently had the opportunity to sample Maple Grove Farms Vermont Sugar Free Syrup from Cracker Barrel. We found this syrup to have exceptional maple flavor. Some syrups, especially the low carb variety, are lacking in the flavor department. It’s fine to make sure that the sweetness is adequate, but no good breakfast syrup is lacking when it comes to maple flavor. This syrup is light and crisp and gives you the feeling that you woke up to breakfast on a New England farm. If you like breakfast food as much as we do, we encourage you to head to your nearest Cracker Barrel and pick up a bottle.

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This week we’re taste testing the new Diet Cherry 7UP Antioxidant. The antioxidant comes in the form of ten percent of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin E. This is another fitness play that unfortunately falls short because Dr. Pepper/Seven Up chose to use aspartame to sweeten this drink. As the first drops hit your tongue you detect the familiar lemon and lime flavors of 7UP, and then the cherry flavor hits you and you’re sure you’re really going to like this drink. Then the aspartame rains on your parade with its favorite weapon - horrible aftertaste. This soft drink would have been so good with Splenda as a sweetener. If you are one of the chosen few that has been able to get used to aspartame aftertaste, then this sugar free drink is a definite buy. For everyone else, be sure to stay tuned for an upcoming review of 7UP products that are sweetened with Splenda.

Nutritionally, Diet Cherry 7Up Antioxidant is not bad. Each eight ounce serving contains only 30mg of sodium. The Vitamin E is a definite plus, but does not provide enough incentive to overlook the aspartame aftertaste.

Federal Trade Commission Endorsement and Testimonial Guidelines Compliance Statement: Dr. Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. has in no way paid for this endorsement. No cash or in-kind payment was received from Dr. Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. by Glucoholic.com.

We’re really excited to provide a ringing endorsement to Walden Farms Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup with one serious warning - go sparingly. This little chocolate syrup is a powerhouse. If you like dark chocolate then you are going to love this chocolate syrup. We like to think of it as the espresso version of chocolate syrup. The serving size is two tablespoons and that’s all you will need to flavor a bowl of low carb ice cream. Do not let yourself, or anyone you care about, dump this syrup on ice cream like you are at the local buffet’s soft serve machine. We’ve all seen it - the kid carrying one scoop of ice cream with a sixer of chocolate syrup overflowing the bowl. If you pull a stunt like this with Walden Farms chocolate syrup be prepared for bitterness times infinity. Stick with the two tablespoons and you will thank us for it because Walden Farms has a great product in this one. We can’t wait to try some of their other sugar free products!

That two tablespoon serving will provide a surprisingly low 35mg of sodium and that’s it - nothing else to worry about or make you feel guilty. This chocolate syrup should be shaken well before serving and refrigerated after opening. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Federal Trade Commission Endorsement and Testimonial Guidelines Compliance Statement: Walden Farms has in no way paid for this endorsement. No cash or in-kind payment was received from Walden Farms by Glucoholic.com.

This time of the year gets us really excited.  It’s fun to look back at all the tasty sugar free and low carb products we’ve tasted all year.  It’s also very uplifting to think of all the great products we’ll get to review in the coming year.  Thanks so much to all of our loyal readers.  We hope you’ve enjoyed some of 2009’s great products yourself.  Here are our Top 5 Favorites:

1. Atkins Endulge Peanut Butter Cups

This awesome candy was way out front.  It even lapped some traffic.  If we had to give up all but one dessert or snack forever, this one would be the one we would keep.  Seriously.

2. Welch’s Diet Black Cherry Juice

It’s entirely possible that the difference between the taste we expected and the taste we got landed this great juice in second place.  This product was the most pleasant surprise in our Top 5 for 2009.

3. Old Orchard Healthy Balance Apple Juice

We were most impressed with how unbelievably sweet this apple juice is.  We really look forward to trying more of the host of healthy juices from Old Orchard very soon.

4. Sweet Leaf Tea Diet Sweet Tea

Maybe next year we’ll come up with some Oscar-esque categories for our end of year awards.  This awesome tea would have won this year’s “Keep It Simple Stupid” award hands down.  Great tasting sweet tea without all the guilt - it doesn’t get much better than that.

5. SoBe Lifewater Black and Blue Berry

This drink is our favorite water beverage.  We don’t even miss sugar-filled sports drinks any longer thanks to the delicious, sweet flavor of this great product from the fine people at SoBe.

Please chime in and let is know about your favorite sugar free and low carb products for 2009.  We’re wishing for a safe, healthy, happy, and prosperous new year for all of our great readers in 2010.  Happy New Year!

We wanted to take the time to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of our loyal readers.  We hope you’re enjoying the season and managing to stay away from the sweets!  Be sure to check back here next week for our Best Of 2009 list.

Merry Christmas!