Today we live in a society where people are becoming more health conscious. To many, health takes priority over any other matter. Eating healthy and going to the gym is essential. People are now becoming concerned about what they put into their bodies. For many it is a matter of life and death.
For the first time in Sri Lanka, Nature's creamery (Pvt) Ltd introduces Health-Alato a unique ice cream - A unique healthy ice cream for the first time in Sri Lanka. Daily News brings to you the brainchild of Sujith Cooke and Dr Natalie Cooke - a new way to enjoy eating and still maintain a healthy life! Nature’s Creamery was actually birthed by the couple over a year ago. Dr. Natalie Cooke is the Chairperson of the company and she is a Medical Doctor, with experience in Surgical Oncology, Reconstructive and Cosmetic surgery. She has expertise in Clinical Psychotherapy and Consultant in Integrative Medicine in Sri Lanka. She specializes in Cancer treatment, Kidney failure and Diabetic reversal and fertility treatment.
The couple are very passionate about bringing healthy food to the food industry to be given to the population of Sri Lanka. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring. When the word ‘dessert’ comes up everyone thinks it is unhealthy. Health-Alato is the solution to people who enjoy their food and are health conscious, they say.
“Sugar is a chemical, a drug. It has the same number of carbon and hydrogen atoms as alcohol. It is as addictive as heroin and cocaine but without thinking twice we give our children sugar filled food. Marketing gimmicks make it look like it is a food product or item but actually, it is dangerously addictive,” explained Dr. Natalie Cooke.
Dr. Cooke highlighted some facts - The Diabetes rate in Sri Lanka has passed 1/3rd of our population. Statistics show 60-70 patients are being diagnosed with cancer daily. To combat all this prevention is key. There are many ways to be healthy. A significant percentage of the population develop kidney failures. Different disorders like Alzheimer’s and Dementia are on the rise.
“In our day and age Autism and ADHD is on the rise. People don’t understand that a child on two table spoons of sugar and a hyperactive child behaves the same way. We need to bring health back into our population and future generations. Health-Alato is a fun way of eating and is a solution to this growing problem sugar poses. It is sugar free, no preservatives, no coloring or flavoring without any synthetic products used in production. It’s an all -natural ice cream. Let's stop telling people what they can't and shouldn’t eat. Let’s show people how to enjoy eating and live a healthy life. Health-Alato, an answer to all,” pointed out Dr. Cooke.
The couple has made sure that their product is 100 percent safe. There is a patent for the recipe so the product can be kept as unique as it is. The awareness of the harm sugar can do to your body needs to be spread in our society. A person who has been on sugar for a long period of time, when they stop sugar the withdrawals are equal to when a person stops alcohol and drug abuse.
“I treat a lot of diabetic patients and cancer patients. Cancer actually grows on sugar. So, they ask me – ‘what can you recommend in the market’? That is when I got confused. People need to start eating better and eating healthy. So, Health Alato is just the start. So, I am sure that we all love ice cream. There is a lot more coming in the product line. Health Alato is as safe as the rice you eat. Eating healthy does not have to be boring,” explained Cooke.
Cooke feels that she needs to stop telling people what they cannot have. She wants to start telling patients what they can have. Life is to enjoy she says. Cooke loves her food and she wants to make that a reality and possibility for everyone.
“I am a medical doctor but I do not believe in chemicals or drugs. I believe the human body is capable of doing a lot more than be dependent on drugs and chemicals. Half a teaspoon of sugar can reduce your immune system by 50 percent in 24 hours. Most Sri Lankans I think take three teaspoons of sugar daily. We are using natural sweeteners. So, your pancreas is not taxed to release more and more insulin. If you take sugar, it is processed and caramelized when you are making the dessert, as you eat it, you are forced to release a lot of insulin in the body. This produces the state of diabetes or your cancer cells can feed on it. Even your brain cells, mental illness and all of that can come out of sugar. We are using natural sweeteners so your body knows how to digest it without taxing it. When you can overcome the withdrawals depends on how strong your mind is. It depends on how addicted you are to sugar,” explained Cooke.
Cooke wanted to get that same taste in her ice cream that is present in the other sugar filled ice creams. It certainly took her a lot of time. She had to get that composition exactly right.
“My patients were complaining to me that they had nothing to eat and I really felt sad about this. So I told my husband – ‘this is not going to work! We need to create a product of our own’. So that is how it all started. I am a medical doctor but I treat the whole human body. I have around 1500 patients a month. The product we have created is for everyone who is health conscious,” said Cooke.
At their press conference a few months ago, the couple launched Chocolate and Vanilla with cashew nuts. Now they have introduced two more delicious ice cream items – Mango and Coffee! To make the Mango Ice Cream they have used local mango pulp. Like Vanilla and Chocolate with Cashew Nuts no flavoring or coloring is used. To make the Coffee ice cream they get the ingredients down from Mexico. The concept is the same – no sugar and no preservatives. The ice creams are all- natural ice creams. No synthetic products are used.
“It has really been successful and we have had a lot more sales than we thought we would have. Our factory is in full operation. The demand has been pretty great. The customers actually realized that their sugar was not increasing. 99 percent of our customers checked their sugar after consuming the ice cream and they noticed that their sugar levels have not changed. When they saw that, then we got a lot more buyers,” said Cooke.
The couple have donated ice cream to children’s and elders’ homes around the country. This is because they wanted to do something different for Ice Cream Day. One thing the couple want is for Health- Alato to be reachable to a majority of people. She also stated that she believes Health- Alato will go global and that this will happen very soon.
“We have achieved a lot more than we anticipated. Now our goals have increased. What we want to do with the company and the brand is has also increased. We will soon be on Uber Eats and Pick Me Food Platforms,” said Dr. Cooke.
Health-Alato will be available at two pick up points. No 85, Dickman's Road and Pita Kotte. Contact Nature's Creamery on 0779491808 for orders and details. Place your order for the health of your family, office functions, friends’ parties and any occasion.
