PH’s 1st stevia grower-manufacturer bullish on financial outlook despite the pandemic

Glorious, popularly known as the Philippines’s first stevia company, is positive on its financial outlook despite almost 2-years in the pandemic. 

 

As more and more people turn to healthier alternatives, sales of stevia products continue to grow. According to agribusiness finance giant Rabobank, stevia's sales are expected to hit $700 million worldwide in the next few years. 

 

Consumers in the Philippines can now get their calorie-free sugar needs from natural alternatives. Previously, stevia was restricted to the health food market without any FDA approval. Now, it is widely used as a natural substitute for artificial sweeteners in many products. 

 

“Stevia has been touted as a safe and healthy sugar substitute with proven health benefits. It can sweeten foods, and it has several health benefits, including decreased calorie intake, lower blood sugar levels, and less risk of cavities,” said Maura De Leon, the woman behind Glorious, the country’s first stevia grower and manufacturer. 

While it has zero calories, stevia is 200 times sweeter than refined sugar, but does not affect blood sugar. It is a popular option for people looking to lose weight but want to reduce their sugar intake. 

 

Stevia is an herb that has been grown in tropical climates for centuries. It is a small bushy plant that belongs to the sunflower family and grows in Paraguay and Brazil, but it can be quickly grown elsewhere. For centuries, the people of Paraguay add them to their foods as sweeteners, and countries like Korea, Brazil, China, Japan, and South America, have long used stevia. 

 

Stevia products such as teas, juices, healthy coffees, chocolate beverages and natural sweeteners, manufactured by Glorious, are approved safe by the Food and Drug Association (FDA) even for people who have diabetes. 

 

“Stevia is much sweeter than sugar, so you don't have to add much. It’s good to note that the Philippines is also catching up on the use of this natural sweetener in various food preparations,” added De Leon. 

 

Stevia is a natural sweetener taken from the leaves of a bushy shrub. The Stevia plant or (Stevia rebaudiana) has 150 species known to have originated from North and South America. Currently, it is produced by many countries, with China as the number one exporter of stevia products. It can also be purchased at garden centers for home growing. 

People who have diabetes can benefit from stevia. Choosing pure stevia extract can help maintain normal blood sugar levels and should be used in moderation. Stevia can also help cut down added sugar consumption, which can be beneficial for children. High sugar intake in children could lead to heart disease due to reconstructing triglyceride and cholesterol levels, contributing to children's weight gain. Substituting added sugar for stevia can minimize these risks. 

 

At the same time, moderate consumption of foods with stevia and other sweeteners can prevent adverse side effects and promote overall health. What’s even better is that you can add stevia to make healthy desserts which are diabetic and keto friendly. This is great for people who have a sweet tooth but can’t indulge because of health restrictions. 

 

Incidentally, all Glorious Blend beverages— from the 3-in-1, 5-in-1, 7-in-1 mixes, use Stevia which has no calories, no carbohydrates, and zero glycemic index. All of their instant drinks will keep you alert and energized throughout the day. 

 

For more information about Glorious, the Stevia Company, check https://gidc.com.ph/.

 

Glorious Blend: Enjoy coffee without the guilt!

We Filipinos love to consume coffee, and it is much part of our daily lives. But there is concern over the amount of sugar that we put in our daily cup. For instance, the leading brand of 3-in-1coffee mix has 14.6 grams of sugar in one 20-gram sachet alone. Imagine how much sugar you’re taking in if you drink an average of three cups of coffee a day!

Sugar-free coffee to the rescue!

For health-conscious individuals, especially diabetics, turning to sugar-free coffee mixes seem to be the only option. This means enduring tasteless cups of coffee just to satisfy their caffeine fix —until Stevia came along.

 

Stevia is the low calorie, zero sugar sweetener that tastes so much better than artificial sweeteners.  Stevia is an herb with a sweet-tasting extract that comes from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant. It has been enjoyed since pre-Columbian South America where indigenous people used the herb to sweeten their tea and other drinks. 

 

The plant's taste stems from steviol glycosides--molecules which are 250–300 times sweeter than regular sugar.  It became popular among health-conscious individuals because stevia has a very low caloric content. This makes it perfect for dieters and people who are trying to lose weight. 

 

Moreover, Stevia makes coffee and tea taste so much better without adding any calories. 

Aside from beverages, Stevia is also used as an alternative sweetener when cooking or baking.

 

The health advantages of Stevia

Stevia is a safe, healthy sugar substitute that can sweeten up food without the negative health effects of refined sugar. It’s also associated with several impressive benefits such as reduced calorie intake, managed blood sugar levels, and minimized risk of cavities.

 

While other sugar substitutes like Aspartame have been linked with cancer, there's no evidence linking stevia to cancer since it is a natural ingredient. This means you can add stevia to dishes and drinks without fear that you’re taking too much sugar, or that you’ll get sick a few years down the road.

 

A glorious blend of beverages

For coffee lovers, it’s also good to note that locally-made Glorious Blend coffees and instant beverages have Stevia as its natural sweetener. The blend of natural and healthful ingredients make the drink not only refreshing and safe, but also good for one’s overall health.

The Glorious Blend boasts a full line of healthy drinks, including a 7-in-1 healthy coffee mix. This special blend is made with proven medicinal ingredients like Malunggay, Mangosteen, Calcium, Gotu Kola, and sweetened with Sweet & Fit Stevia. What’s even better is that the Glorious Blend 7in1 Coffee is non-acidic and promotes regular bowel movement. The Glorious line-up also includes the 3-in-1 coffee mix with Stevia; 7-in-1 choco mix; 4-in-1 coffee with Malunggay; 5-in-1 coffee mix with Brown Rice; and the MaxiTrim coffee. 

 

All Glorious Blend beverages use Stevia which has no calories, no carbohydrates, and zero glycemic index. Be sure to drink Glorious Blend to keep you alert and energized throughout the day. What's more, Glorious Blend products are locally sourced and manufactured. Their company supports local farmers, stevia growers, and other agricultural communities.

 

So if you’ve been cutting back on drinking coffee because of health problems like diabetes or hyper acidity, Glorious Blend coffee mixes are here to help. You can enjoy all the aroma and flavor of freshly made coffee all day —without the guilt!

 

Now, you can drink coffee for better health! Glorious, isn’t it? For more information about Glorious Blend coffee mixes, check out https://www.facebook.com/gloriousblend

 

#1stSteviaCompanyInPH #PH1stCoffeewithStevia #GloriousBlend #NoSugarAdded #DeliciouslyNatural #SalgadoPR

Celebrate the holidays with classy and delectable treats from Aperitif

What better way to celebrate any occasion than to have a fancy spread of cheese, cold cuts, and other appetizing snacks.

This art of grazing has a become a trend in the Philippines—with local company Aperitif creating carefully curated and tastefully styled graze boxes that adds flair to any celebration.

Indeed, anyone who encounters Aperitif’s graze boxes will surely be in for a treat.

And so, we’ll check out some of their goodies that will make your Christmas feast truly sumptuous:

The Sweet and Savory Box that comes with a Singleton Whisky Pocket Scotch, famous Aperitif pastries like the cookies, sweet and savory cheese, and cold cuts. Perfect gift for someone who loves the best of both worlds. 

The Signature Grazing Box started the grazing trend in the Philippines. This is a medium graze box that has mini wine, choco honey, French breads like croissants and pain au chocolat, jams, cold cuts, and cheese. It's a nice gift for someone who loves to have a taste of Paris in the Philippines.

Aperitif is also catering main dishes that you can add to your Noche Buena. One highly recommended is the Herb Poulet.

Next is the cheesy parmessini Truffle Pasta. Pasta is tossed on a large Grana Padano wheel before placed in the packaging. 

Aperitif also has a Truffle Salmon Caviar Pie. It's a savory dish with caviar, gold leaf, truffle, and salmon. This is perfect with crackers and tea.

Now, for the sweet tooth. This is Aperitif's famous Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake. It has three layers of chocolate comes enclosed in a golden Belgian chocolate shelf. This is Aperitif's take on the tin can cake trend. It has been nominated as one of the best. 

The Ooey Gooey Cookies are bigger than your palm, and they have a lot of chocolate morsels in it so you better have to heat this. It comes in different flavors: Reese, Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate Macadamia, and the classic Chocolate chip cookie. 

With these treats, Aperitif will make sure that every celebration will not just taste good, but look good as well. For more information, just visit www.aperitifph.com. 

Make your own Kori Kohi

   

Thinking how to beat the summer heat?

How about making your own UCC Kori Kohi at home? This is the latest coffee craze this quarantine period and it's so easy to make.

Just freeze your favorite coffee drink into ice cubes. Then, pour warm milk over it and enjoy it right away!

#korikohi #coffee #DIY

New normal? No worries with Hotel Sogo's New Normal Playbook

With COVID-19, the way we live and the way we do things have changed. One of those affected is the hotel industry. Because of this, hotels are now adapting to a new normal—among these hotels is Hotel Sogo, one of the leading hotel chains in the Philippines.

We know that as early as December 2019, Hotel Sogo has already been implementing precautionary measures to secure the safety of its employees and guests in light of this pandemic.

Among these are: temperature checks at the entrance, alcohol and hand sanitizers in common areas, COVID-19 info dissemination, and enhanced cleaning and sanitation in all its branches.

Under its Sogo Cares Program, the hotel chain was the first to provide free accommodations that served as temporary shelter. A total of P80-million or more than 800 room accommodations were given to healthcare workers, OFWs, and seafarers repatriates for free. This is in coordination with 10 city mayors and 31 hospitals in the country.

Now that the lockdown is slowly easing out in the country, Sogo Hotel is ready to open its doors under the new normal as part of its “So Clean, So Good, So Safe” campaign under the Sogo Safe Program.

#HereAtHotelSogo , both guests and employee are assured of their safety and security with these features:

1.    Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) incorporated in staff uniform.

  

2.    Temperature check and disinfection mats at the entrance.

3.    Installation of protective acrylic glass panel and social distancing in front desk.

4.    Social distancing with markers and limit number of persons in elevators.

5.   Contactless features from elevators and doors to toilet fixtures. This is thru foot door opener and foot-controlled dispenser. UVC light treatment is also modified in elevator consoles,  door handles,  keycard cases, cash register and food preparation.

6.    UVC disinfection light array cart in cleaning and disinfection of rooms and bathrooms. Studies prove that UVC can kill microbes, germs, bacteria and viruses. UVC is used in disinfecting hospitals as UVC kills pathogens and microorganisms.

7.    Constant disinfection in all amenities is being implemented. Hand Sanitizers are available in common areas.

8.    Newly designed giveaways for the guests such as no contact keys and sanitizers. No-contact key serves as a tool in touching common objects like door handles, elevator buttons, and ATMs.

9.    Contact tracing thru the Hotel Sogo mobile app.

The good new is that it’s not only at the hotel sites that they implement these features. Even the corporate office of Hotel Sogo is ready with the new normal with these guidelines:

1.    Temperature checks upon entering the office.

2.    Hand sanitizers in common areas.

3.    Limit to number of people using the elevator.

4.    Provision of multivitamins to employees.

5.    Social distancing in workplace and in crowded areas like canteen.

To know more on how Hotel Sogo is preparing for this new normal, you may check out this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxjMEbYxfiA

Indeed, there is no reason to be afraid of this new normal, as companies like Hotel Sogo is proving that we can adapt to the needs of the changing times.

For more information, you may visit Hotel Sogo’s official accounts:

WEBSITE: http://www.hotelsogo.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/HotelSogoOfficialPage/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/hotelsogo/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/hotelsogo

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialHotelSogo

#HereAtHotelSogo

#DahilMahalKItaGustoKoSafeKa

#SoCleanSoGoodSoSafe

Why Abu Dhabi should be on your travel #bucketlist too

Whenever we hear of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), we always think of Dubai. But little do we know that its neighbor Abu Dhabi, is also an awesome place that is worth exploring. Abu Dhabi is UAE’s capital city that is just one and a half to two hours away from Dubai.

In my previous post, I’ve written why Dubai should be your next #travelgoals. This time, I’m gonna share why Abu Dhabi shouldn’t be an afterthought or a second fiddle to the more popular Dubai -- because I’ve loved this city as much as Dubai! And here are just some of the reasons why:

Louvre Abu Dhabi

Visiting the Louvre Museum in Paris is a dream of mine, but I don’t have the moolah yet to go to France. Good thing that there is now a Louvre Museum in Asia!

Louvre Abu Dhabi is the biggest museum in the Arab world with approximately 8,000 sqm of gallery space. It is located on Saadiyat Island, which is about a 30-minute public bus ride from the downtown. It opened November 2017.

It is said that Louvre is the first of its kind in the Arabian Peninsula, because it is not just your usual museum, but a universal museum at that. It’s an East-meets-West with diverse art from various cultures. It’s an ancient-meets-modern with historical artifacts from ancient civilizations to empires that ruled the world, and the modern art like the Fountain of Light. The museum’s dome ceiling itself is a modern-day work of art—a latticework that allows sunlight to pass through.

And definitely a dream come true for me as I was able to get up close with the works of Leonardo da Vinci (La belle ferronnière, also known as Portrait of an Unknown Woman) and Jacques-Louis David (Napoleon Crossing the Alps). They also have pieces by Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso and many more. The experience of seeing these great works of art in my own eyes and not just reading about them was just wow!

Allot half-a-day or a whole day for this so you can visit all the areas of the museum, and study each work of art (also, to maximize that the hefty admission ticket!). For more details, visit: https://www.louvreabudhabi.ae/

Warner Bros. World

Are you fond of theme parks? Do you love Scooby Doo, Bugs Bunny or Superman? Well, your favorite Warner Bros. characters come to life in this latest attraction in Yas Island. Recently opened in July 2018, this 22-acres attraction is one of the largest indoor theme parks in the world.

Having visited Universal Studios Singapore back in 2016, this place reminded me of just that—with your fave movie characters and setting, plus, rides. The difference is, of course, this is from a different movie studio. Also, Warner Bros. World is enclosed and fully air-conditioned (maybe because it is located in the middle of the hot Abu Dhabi desert?).

Enter the park and be immediately enthralled by the art deco-themed plaza with a sensory multimedia experience and color-changing skies.

You can now proceed to Metropolis where the Justice League is, or the dark pathways of Gotham City. Have fun with your fave character at the Cartoon Junction, the desert landscape of Dynamite Gulch, and the stone-age caves of Bedrock.

                                                                  Justice League Hall

Joker Funhouse

Dynamite Gulch

Each themed land has an immersive environment and exciting rides. You can even see your favorite character walking down the street!

                                                                    Riddler Revolution

                                                                     Ani Mayhem Ride

                                                                 Museum of Mysteries

For me, it was like a trip down memory lane with cartoons and characters that I grew up with. Indeed, it was so much fun to be young-a-heart again!

Allot half-a-day or a whole day for this so you can try all the rides! visit For more details, visit:  https://www.wbworldabudhabi.com/

ferrari World

So, after the kiddie stuff at Warner Bros. World, why not go also to Ferrari World since it’s also located in Yas Island?

I didn’t go inside because I’m afraid of rides that has anything to do with speed and heights. But, why not take the opportunity to take some pics at the entrance, haha!

But, if you are not the faint of heart, then Ferrari World is for you. Here in this park is the world’s fastest roller coaster ride—The Formula Rossa—that can accelerate at 240km per hour at a height of 52m above ground—just wow!

It also has “helicopter” interactive ride taking you to a virtual tour over Venice and the story of Ferrari.

For the thrill seekers, you may check this out for more info: https://www.ferrariworldabudhabi.com/

sheikh zayed mosque

Of course, never leave Abu Dhabi without visiting one of the world’s most popular attractions--the majestic Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

It is the third largest mosque in the world that can accommodate up to 40,000 worshippers. The main prayer hall is spread with the world’s largest carpet at 60,570 sq. ft. It has 82 domes, 1,000 columns and a reflective pool. The mosque complex covers an area more than 12 hectares.

This architectural icon of Abu Dhabi has intricate details with imported chandeliers, semi-precious stones inlays on white marble. The mosque is a tribute to the founder Sheikh of the United Arab Emirates—Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to go inside because it was already late when we arrived. But, the mosque is grander at night, with the white mosque reflecting the colors of the night. Just like the photo below, and I must agree the mosque was really gigantic and majestic!

For more information, visit this site: https://www.szgmc.gov.ae/en/

These are just some of the reasons why Abu Dhabi should be on your #bucketlist too. So, the next time you visit UAE, don’t limit yourself to just visiting Dubai, go and discover this travel gem that is Abu Dhabi and let yourself be surprised :)