London, England-based Conscious Food announced the American debut of SugaVida, a natural, safe, organic sugar substitute that sweetens naturally while providing significant health benefits.

For consumers, SugaVida offers a healthy, nutrient-packed alternative to processed sugar, high fructose corn syrup, stevia, agave and synthetic
sweeteners in their cold and hot drinks, snacks and for cooking and baking. For U.S. food manufacturers, SugaVida offers a finished
sweetener ingredient with a lower melting point, which means substantial savings on energy bills, according to the company, adding the sweetener is fully organically certified and is grown in pesticide and herbicide free environment, providing food manufacturers with an opportunity to penetrate the rapidly growing U.S. market for verifiably healthier food products.

Kristina Locke, founder and CEO, Conscious Food, said SugaVida stands for 'sugar of life' and is a delicious tasting natural sweetener with a distinct difference from the others: it's packed with vitamins and minerals.

"And you only need to use half the amount of SugaVida to achieve the same level of sweetness as other products," said Locke." Americans will appreciate that this is one organic sweetener that doesn't have the aftertaste that's associated with highly processed or chemical sugar substitutes."

SugaVida is derived from the sap of the Palmyra palm tree (Borassus Flabellifer), which is grown organically and harvested sustainably in
Southeast India, supporting local producers and biodiversity in Indian farming communities. It contains 15 essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, sodium and phosphorus - all of which are retained in SugaVida without the addition of preservatives or chemicals in the plant-based production process.

One tablespoon is equivalent to 36 percent of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended daily allowance for Vitamin B12.

"While we believe all sugars should be consumed in moderation, we're changing the mindset around sweeteners in America by introducing one
that actually provides nutritional and medicinal benefits," said Locke. "SugaVida has been widely used as a body cleanse in Ayurvedic medicine to reduce bloating, water retention, and improve the digestive and respiratory systems. We've found that those who constantly desire sugar sweets and drinks have actually seen their cravings diminish by simply replacing sugar with SugaVida."

SugaVida will be on select U.S. store shelves by the end of fall and the product cost $13.50 for 8.8 oz./250 g.

For more information, visit www.consciousfood.co.uk