Winter warmers: sweet hot drinks for cold days
Naturally Sweet Products
As we head into the first month of winter, away goes the light summer shirts and out comes the woollen coats and leather boots. We all change our clothing to adapt to the cooler temperatures - but how many of us look at changing what's in our pantry, too? It's no secret that as winter rolls around, our eating habits change. Instead of being satisfied with salads and ice cold water, we suddenly start to crave creamy pastas and warm puddings - otherwise known as comfort food. While the odd bacon carbonara is definitely called for, letting sweet treats and greasy snacks creep into your daily diet can do more harm than good. Not only will your energy levels fluctuate with all the extra sugar, you may also start to feel lethargic, sluggish and slow - which only adds to the winter blues! Instead of reaching for that slice of brownie next time a comfort food craving hits, why not try some of these delicious hot drinks instead? By replacing the sugar content with natural stevia sweetener, these are still sweet and satisfying treats - but without the calories. Sweet chai Made of an exotic mix of Indian spices, such as ginger and green cardamom, chai tea is a aromatic winter warmer. Unfortunately many of the retail brands and syrups are packed with sugar. To avoid this, try making your own blend at home and use stevia as a sweet substitute. Alternatively, you can look for chai tea bags - adding a little stevia and a dash of milk will turn this herbal tea into a creamy winter treat. Indulgent hot chocolate Nothing beats a hot chocolate on a cool winter's day. However most blends often contain more sugar than chocolate! For a real cocoa fix - and something truly indulgent - melt a few squares of really dark chocolate in a cup of skim milk and add stevia extract for extra sweetness. Stevia can also be added to your classic cup of tea or coffee.
