When it comes to working with emerging food brands I always ask myself two questions.

• Am I supporting a local business?
• Is it a product the majority of my clients would enjoy and benefit from?

I’m really thrilled to be able to say that LIVA raw organic date sugar checks both of those boxes.

Created by Canadian entrepreneur Lubaina Rakla, LIVA raw organic date sugar offers up a sweet alternative in the kitchen and is made exclusively from whole dehydrated raw organic dates.

For those of you who are true kitchen connoisseurs, I know that you will appreciate this novel, versatile and fruit-based alternative to traditional sweeteners.

I know that my clients love trying new things in the kitchen when it comes to cooking and baking, and new options when it comes to the sweetener category is one of the questions that I’m asked most often about.

That’s where LIVA comes in – and I really encourage you guys to head over to their website to learn more about the product and the women behind it.

For today’s post, my primary objective is to teach you what makes LIVA unique and explore some of the roles it can play in your daily life.

LIVA Date Sugar And You

One of the really cool things about this product from a dietitian’s perspective is that, because it is sourced from fruit, it contains more fibre and antioxidants than other comparable sweeteners.

About 1 tsp (5 grams) of LIVA contains 1 gram of fibre.

This is a pretty nifty thing, considering we don’t always expect such characteristics to accompany products we consider “sweeteners”.

It’s fair to say that LIVA is going to force us to reconsider this category of products – for the better.

So how is it made?

LIVA is made from ethically sourced dates out of Algeria and Tunisia (which are processed in California and packaged here at home) which are solar dried for 2 days and grinded into a powder.

This process allows LIVA to retain a number of nutritional properties of dates such as the fibre content and antioxidant capacity.

Nothing else is added to the product after this process is complete, so you are quite literally using a product made solely from raw organic dates.

But the next question is, how will YOU use it?

Well, LIVA is a highly versatile product in that it is suitable for cooking, baking and flavouring your favourite hot or cold beverages – among other purposes.

When it comes to culinary use, you can substitute it into your favourite recipes using a 1:1 ratio, replacing it with traditional sweeteners wherever you see fit.

Where Can You Find LIVA?

So I’m betting you are feeling pretty eager to give this product a shot – am I right?

LIVA products are available at Sobey’s, Loblaws and via online platforms such as Amazon.ca, Well.ca and the LIVA Website – livafoods.com – where you can also find a full listing of local health food stores which also carry the product.

I’m hopeful you will give it a shot because it certainly has a unique and healthful role to play in the modern kitchen.

Andy De Santis RD MPH

This post was developed in sponsored partnership with LIVA; however, as always, all opinions are genuine.