Joseph's Sugar-Free Cookies Offer Great Taste Without Spiking Blood Sugar

Low fat dieters debate with low carbers over which food group to remove or minimize in our daily intake. Joseph's Sugar Free cookies and other sugar free products by Joseph's Lite Cookies seem to satisfy both sides.

How the Joseph's brand of sugar free products managed to fall into categories that dieters on Atkins, Mayo Clinic, South Beach and Dr. Wendy could consume is nothing short of a miracle. The miracle started in 1980 with a nine-year-old boy named Joseph Semprevivo who found out he was diabetic.

I remember when I was nine. I was raised in a home that permitted sweets. I overindulged in them; got the dental bills to prove it. When Joseph was nine, he was forced to give up sugary sweets. Instead of giving up on the idea of ever enjoying ice cream or cookies again without raising his blood sugar, Joseph created fructose sweetened ice cream, cookies and brownies.

Some 30 years later, Joseph's Lite Cookies as the brand is called, markets seven product lines in 42 countries, including more than 140,000 locations in the U.S. Joseph's alternatives to sugar laden snacks and desserts include 13 different flavored sugar-free cookies, sugar-free peanut butter, three flavors of sugar free cookie puffs, sugar-free maple syrup, sugar-free sweetener, six flavors of sugar-free dessert coffee, and three different flavors of fat free cookies.

I saw Joseph's Sugar-Free Pecan Shortbread Cookies at the local Fred's and decided to give them a try last year. The bite size crunchy rounds were flavorful with no bitter taste that stayed in my mouth. One of my sons, whose not reducing his sugar intake, ate some of the cookies. He was surprised when he found out they were sugar-free.

I've only seen three flavors of Joseph's Lite Cookies at Fred's Discount store: Pecan Shortbread, Chocolate Chip and Lemon. The Lemon bite-size cookies are my favorite. All the cookies are packaged in brightly colored foil bags that mimic the color of the cookies inside them. Each six ounce, six serving package costs $1.00. When I opened the bag of Lemon cookies, mild lemon fragrance greeted my nose. Microwaving for 10-15 seconds wrapped in a damp towel can soften the cookies. A serving of four cookies nets 95 calories, four grams of fat, 70 grams of sodium, 15 carbohydrate grams, six grams of malitol and two grams of protein. Ingredients include unbleached wheat flour, malitol, canola oil, natural flavor and baking soda. That's right, just five ingredients.

The Joseph's Lite Cookie story is told on the packaging, as well as a list of cookie and coffee products and other helpful information.

Joseph's Lite Cookies have been the recipient of more than 20 awards and counting. Included in that number are the Healthy Product Award and the Successful Business Award presented by President George W. Bush. His products are 100% made in the United States in a facility in Deming, New Mexico. You can visit the Joseph's Lite Cookies website at http://www.josephslitecookies.com for the complete Joseph's story and list of products.

My only regret is there are not more Joseph Lite Cookies products in local stores.