Guest guest Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 Hello I would like to clarify something about the Agave question. I mentioned in one of my e- mails that all sweeteners whether natural or not, raw or refined, all get turned into glucose in the bloodstream eventually after we digest them. Even sweet fruits and root vegetables turn to glucose rapidly in the bloodstream. But there are some very good things about Agave that must be emphasized. Agave is one of the best natural sweeteners available for a variety of reasons. First, it is not an animal product. It comes from a cactus, but has the consistency of honey. Second, it is lower on the glycemic index than most other sweeteners which means it is one of the best alternatives we have in syrup form. Third, it tastes very good and it is extremely sweet which makes it effective in small amounts. It is also cost effective because it goes a long way and easy to work with. The heat pastuerization debate depends on which product you are talking about. Many are considered raw for a variety of reasons, while others are obviously heated and refined. Do your research, ask around, and buy a product you feel good about. Consider the options: Honey is technically an animal product and has a very distinctive taste. Agave has a less distinctive taste and is more neutral to use for recipes. Maple syrup is very sugary and high glycemic. Brown sugar is really just sugar. Stevia is the lowest glycemic, but does not act the same in recipes. It is important to see it in perspective. Someone I know compared it to nut milk. If you want milk, but do not want diary then you have a few options. You could drink soy milk, which is way better than cow milk, or you can drink nut milk, which is much better than soy. It is all relative to what you are talking about. When someone changes from cow milk to soy milk, they will notice some great changes. When someone changes from soy to nut milk, they also notice great things there too. But that is not to say that soy is not a great alternative for certain people in their process. Similarly, Agave can be seen as a better alternative to refined sugar, better than honey for some reasons, and better than maple syrup for some reasons, but not as good as fruits or dehydrated mulberries because those are truly raw sugars combined with the fiber of the fruit. Some prefer to use dates or raisins to sweeten, but those are still problematic for some because of digestion, and they are deceptively high in sugar, especially dates. Agave is easy to measure and use in specific amounts. There is the sugar question, how it becomes sugar in your blood, then there is the " raw or not " question, whether or not it is heated or refined in any way. There is also the fact that it is vegan, which is a huge thing for some people. It all depends on what perspective you have. I did not mean to make Agave seem like all the other sweeteners, because it is not. It is a bit better than other natural sweeteners in many ways, but only if you value those ways in which its better. Some people really swear by raw honey, while others value the non- animal based Agave or maple syrup. Still others think exclusively about how raw a sweetener is and will only use fruits or figs and raisins to sweeten their foods. I respect all of these attempts at becoming more aware and creative. Take care and love your process, peace > Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 17, 2006 Report Share Posted November 17, 2006 Ok, here's the deal for me. I realize that we've had indepth discussions on this topic before but something has been clinging to the back of my mind saying " you're causing harm to yourself. " Thank you Lynda for this article (and others who brought this to light). I've come to grips with the fact that due to what must have been an addition to " Agave, " I first read this article with blinders on. I refuse to count the containers of agave that I continued to purchase since Sept. (this year) but each time, I've looked at the container and experienced a really bad guilt trip. Well long story short, Ron, doing what he does naturally (helping someone) decided to do more research on agave which lead him back to this article. We read and discussed it again but this time my eyes were forcibly opened and now you can " stick me with a fork, I'm done " with Agave. We just dumped 10 of 17oz. down the drain. , Namaska7 wrote: > > The Truth about Agave Syrup: > >Not as Healthy as You May Think > > > >by John Kohler > > > >A relatively recent trend in raw food preparation is the use of agave > >syrup (also called agave nectar) as sweetener is called for in raw > >recipes. I am often asked about my views on this sweetener. > > > >When I first switched to a raw food diet in 1995, agave syrup was > >unknown and was NOT USED IN RAW FOODS! I first learned about agave > >syrup back in 1999 or 2000 at a trade show for the health food > >industry, which I attend regularly to keep up with the latest in the > >health and nutrition field. I asked several questions, got some > >samples, and inquired on how the company processed the agave syrup. > >At that time, I learned that it was processed at roughly 140 to 160 > >degrees Fahrenheit, so I certainly didn't consider it a raw food by > >any means. Just like agave, some people consider maple syrup a raw > >food, but all maple syrup is heat-treated and is therefore not raw at > >all. > > > >Unfortunately, there are no " raw labeling laws. " Anyone, anywhere, > >at any time can put " RAW " on their label and to them it can be > >supposedly raw since it is made from a " raw " material or simply not > >roasted. Just because it says " RAW " doesn't necessarily mean that it > >was processed at a temperature under 118 degrees and still has all > >its enzymes, nutrients, and " life force " intact. For example, when > >you notice the difference between raw carob powder and roasted carob > >powder in the store, it is my understanding that the " raw " carob > >powder has been heated to about 250 degrees, whereas the " roasted " > >carob powder has been heated to about 450 degrees. The additional > >heat applied to the " roasted " carob powder causes the carob > >to " carmelize, " thus making it darker in appearance and different in > >taste as compared to the " raw " carob powder. Some stores sell " truly > >raw " carob powder, it has a more chalkier texture than > >supposedly " raw " carob powder. Jaffe Bros in Valley Center, > >California is a source of the " truly raw " carob powder. There are > >several raw food snack bars that say " RAW " but have ingredients such > >as cooked cocoa powder (that can't be raw) and cashew nuts (most of > >which are not truly raw). > > > >Let's suppose for arguments sake, and to give agave the benefit of > >the doubt, that even with " new " technology companies are somehow able > >to process agave syrup below 118 degrees so it could be considered > >actually " raw " . We still need to ask the question, is it good for > >us? Some foods, even if they truthfully are raw, may not actually > >be HEALTHY. Based on what I have learned about agave syrup, I > >believe it to be one of these foods. > > > >My answer to the question, " Is agave nectar good for us? " would > >be " NO " based on my research. Here is a sample of my findings: > > > >1. Agave Syrup is not a " whole " food. It is a fractionated and > >processed food. Manufacturers take the liquid portion of the agave > >plant and " boil " it down, thus concentrating the sugar to make it > >sweet. This is similar to how maple " sap " that comes directly from a > >tree is heated and concentrated to make maple " syrup. " Agave Syrup > >is missing many of the nutrients that the original plant had to begin > >with. > > > >2. Agave Syrup was originally used to make tequila. When Agave Syrup > >ferments, it literally turns into tequila. The enzymatic activity > >therefore MUST be stopped so that the syrup will not turn into > >tequila in your cupboard. Raw or not, if there is no enzymatic > >activity, it is certainly not a " live " food. As Raw Foodists, we > >want the enzymes intact. > > > >3. According to my research, there are three major producers of agave > >syrup. Some of these companies also have other divisions that make > >Tequila. For the most part, agave syrup is produced in the > >Guadalajara region in Mexico. There are those within the industry > >who I have spoken to at various trade shows who say that some of the > >agave syrup is " watered down " with corn syrup in Mexico before it is > >exported to the USA. Why is this done? Most likely because Agave > >Syrup is expensive, and corn syrup is cheap. > > > >4. Agave Syrup is advertised as " low glycemic " and marketed towards > >diabetics. It is true, that agave itself is low glycemic. We have > >to consider why agave syrup is " low glycemic. " It is due to the > >unusually high concentration of fructose (90%) compared to the small > >amount of glucose (10%). Nowhere in nature does this ratio of > >fructose to glucose occur naturally. One of the next closest foods > >that contain almost this concentration of glucose to fructose is high > >fructose corn syrup, which may contain up to 80% fructose. Even > >though fructose is low on the glycemic index, there are numerous > >problems associated with the consumption of fructose in such high > >concentrations as found in concentrated sweeteners: > > > > > >A. Fructose appears to interfere with copper metabolism. This > >causes collagen and elastin being unable to form. Collagen and > >elastin are connective tissue which essentially hold the body > >together.1 A deficiency in copper can also lead to bone fragility, > >anemia, defects of the arteries and bone, infertility, high > >cholesterol levels, heart attacks and ironically enough an inability > >to control blood sugar levels.2 > > > >B. Research suggests that fructose actually promotes disease more > >readily than glucose. This is because glucose is metabolized by > >every cell in the body, and fructose must be metabolized by the > >liver. 3 Tests on animals show that the livers of animals fed large > >amounts of fructose develop fatty deposits and cirrohosis of the > >liver. This is similar to the livers of alcoholics. > > > >C. " Pure " isolated fructose contains no enzymes, vitamins or minerals > >and may rob the body of these nutrients in order to assimilate itself > >for physiological use.4 > > > >D. Fructose may contribute to diabetic conditions. It reduces the > >sensitivity of insulin receptors. Insulin receptors are the way > >glucose enters a cell to be metabolized. As a result, the body needs > >to make more insulin to handle the same amount of glucose.5 > > > >E. Consumption of fructose has been shown to cause a significant > >increase in uric acid. An increase in uric acid can be an indicator > >of heart diease.6 > > > >F. Fructose consumption has been shown to increase blood lactic acid, > >especially for people with conditions such as diabetes. Extreme > >elevations may cause metabolic acidosis.7 > > > >G. Consumption of fructose leads to mineral losses, especially > >excretions of iron, magnesium, calcium and zinc compared to subjects > >fed sucrose.8 > > > >H. Fructose may cause accelerated aging through oxidative damage. > >Scientists found that rats given fructose had more cross-linking > >changes in the collagen of their skin than other groups fed glucose. > >These changes are thought to be markers for aging.9 > > > >I. Fructose can make you fat! It is metabolized by the liver and > >converts to fat more easily than any other sugar. Fructose also > >raises serum triglycerides (blood fats) significantly.10 > > > >5. Agave Syrup and other concentrated sweeteners are addictive, so > >you end up trading a cooked addiction (eating candy bars or cookies) > >for a " raw " addiction which is not much better. Eating concentrated > >sweeteners makes it harder to enjoy the sweet foods we should be > >eating - whole fresh fruit since they don't seem as sweet by > >comparison. > > > >Whole fruits generally contain a much smaller amount of fructose > >compared to sucrose and glucose. In addition, fruits contain > >vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, fiber, and other nutrients. Our > >bodies are designed to digest a complete " package " of nutrition that > >appears in whole, fresh, ripe fruits. Could nature be wrong? For > >example, it's always better to eat fruits whole or blend them rather > >than juice them. When you juice fruits you remove the fiber which > >helps to slow down the absorption of the sugars. Concentrated > >sweeteners also contain no fiber and have much greater concentrations > >of simple sugars than are found in fresh fruit or even juices. > > > >Now that you have a better understanding about Agave Syrup, hopefully > >the companies selling " raw " agave won't dupe you. They are out to > >make a buck, which in this case is unfortunately at the expense of > >your health. If you are making a " raw " recipe and it does require a > >concentrated sweetener, I have some recommendations for some better > >options to use instead of agave: (Listed in order of preference.) > > > >1. Use ripe fresh fruits. Ripe fruits contain nutrients, fiber and > >water, a complete package, as nature intended. I find that ripe and > >organic fruits are usually sweetest. > > > >2. Use fresh whole stevia leaves. Stevia is an herb that actually > >tastes sweet but contains no sugar. This herb can be very hard to > >find fresh, so I personally grow my own. If fresh leaves are not > >available, get the whole dried leaves or the whole leaf powder. > >Avoid the white stevia powder and the stevia liquid drops as they > >have been highly processed. > > > >3. Use dried fruits. If you need a " syrup " consistency, just soak > >the dried fruits in some water and blend them up with the same soak > >water. Dates, figs, and prunes are some of the sweetest dried fruits > >that tend to work well in recipes. Try wet Barhi dates blended with > >a little water for an amazing maple syrup substitute. > > > >4. Raw Honey is a concentrated sweetener, and although not > >recommended, in my opinion it is better than agave syrup because it > >is a whole food and occurs naturally in nature. Of course, honey is > >not vegan and that may be a concern for some. I recommend > >purchasing local honey from a beekeeper. > > > >Other " concentrated sweeteners " that are often seen in raw food > >recipes include: > > > >1) Maple Syrup which is not raw and heat processed. If it is not > >organic, it may also contain formaldehyde and other toxic chemicals. > > > >2) Sucanat or evaporated cane juice is pure dried sugar cane juice. > >Unfortunetly this is processed at a temperature above 118 degrees and > >therefore can't be considered raw. > > > >3) Yacon Syrup is a syrup from the root of the yacon plant in South > >America. It is once again, a concentrated sweetener processed at a > >temperature of up to 140 degrees farenheight. > > > >The moral of this article: Eat whole fresh fruits and vegetables, > >they are always best. Always question processed and concentrated > >foods that are not found in nature, even if " raw " . > > > >References: > >1. Fields, M, Proceedings of the Society of Experimental Biology and > >Medicine, 1984, 175:530-537. > >2. Klevay, Leslie, Acting Director of the U.S. Agriculture > >Department's Human Nutrition Research Center, Grand Forks, N.D. > >3. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, November 2002 Vol. 76, No. > >5, 911-922. > >4. Appleton, Nancy Ph.D., Fructose is No Answer For a Sweetener, > >http://www.mercola.com/2002/jan/5/fructose.htm. > >5. H. Hallfrisch, et al.,The Effects of Fructose on Blood Lipid > >Levels, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 37: 5, 1983, 740-748. > >6. J. MacDonald, Anne Keyser, and Deborah Pacy, Some Effects, in Man, > >of Varying the Load of Glucose, Sucrose, Fructose, or Sorbitol on > >Various Metabolites in Blood, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition > >31 (August 1978)): 1305-1311. > >7. Hallfrisch, Judith, Metabolic Effects of Dietary Fructose, FASEB > >Journal 4 (June 1990): 2652-2660. > >8. A. E. Bergstra, A. G. Lemmens, and A. C. Beynens, Dietary Fructose > >vs. Glucose Stimulates Nephrocalcinogenesis in Female Rats, Journal > >of Nutrition 123, no. 7 (July 1993): 1320-1327. > >9. Roger B. Mc Donald, Influence of Dietary Sucrose on Biological > >Aging, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 62 (suppl), (1995): > >284s-293s. > >10. H. Hallfrisch, et al.,The Effects of Fructose on Blood Lipid > >Levels, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 37: 5, 1983, 740-748. > > > >About the author: John Kohler has been on the living and raw foods > >diet for nearly a decade; he turned to living foods for healing from > >a life threatening-illness (spinal meningitis) and has enjoyed > >dynamic health ever since. One of Johns goals is to educate the world > >about the power of living and raw foods. He is the founder and > >webmaster of the largest living and raw food website on the internet, > >www.living-foods.com, and www.rawfoodsupport.com. John is also the > >number one expert on raw foods appliances and gadgets in the world. > >He is widely sought out and regularly speaks and instructs at many > >raw food festivals and events. His area of expertise include recipe > >demos with 5-7 ingredients or less, young coconut recipes, traveling > >while raw, rawfood appliances, successful transition to the raw foods > >diet, and the importance of a fresh organic whole foods diet. He > >believes that by using fresh, organic, and whole ingredients, that > >simple, healthy, and delicious recipes can be made with few > >ingredients and without the use of salt, oil, spices, refined > >sweeteners or chemical additives. He is known for his pragmatic > >approach to raw foods and has coached and helped thousands of people > >to incorporate more fresh raw fruits and vegetables into their diet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 17, 2006 Report Share Posted November 17, 2006 Ouch! --- Elaine <shortydemp wrote: > Ok, here's the deal for me. I realize that we've > had indepth > discussions on this topic before but something has > been clinging to > the back of my mind saying " you're causing harm to > yourself. " > > Thank you Lynda for this article (and others who > brought this to > light). I've come to grips with the fact that due > to what must have > been an addition to " Agave, " I first read this > article with blinders > on. I refuse to count the containers of agave that I > continued > to purchase since Sept. (this year) but each time, > I've looked at the > container and experienced a really bad guilt trip. > > Well long story short, Ron, doing what he does > naturally (helping > someone) decided to do more research on agave which > lead him back to > this article. We read and discussed it again but > this time my eyes > were forcibly opened and now you can " stick me with > a fork, I'm done " > with Agave. We just dumped 10 of 17oz. down the > drain. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2006 Report Share Posted November 20, 2006 Thanks for the article, Elaine. ZakhahElaine <shortydemp wrote: Ok, here's the deal for me. I realize that we've had indepthdiscussions on this topic before but something has been clinging tothe back of my mind saying "you're causing harm to yourself."Thank you Lynda for this article (and others who brought this tolight). I've come to grips with the fact that due to what must havebeen an addition to "Agave," I first read this article with blinderson. I refuse to count the containers of agave that I continuedto purchase since Sept. (this year) but each time, I've looked at thecontainer and experienced a really bad guilt trip.Well long story short, Ron, doing what he does naturally (helping someone) decided to do more research on agave which lead him back tothis article. We read and discussed it again but this time my eyeswere forcibly opened and now you can "stick me with a fork, I'm done"with Agave. We just dumped 10 of 17oz. down the drain.--- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2006 Report Share Posted November 20, 2006 Please, please if anyone else is contemplating throwing out their agave, let me know. We'll gladly take it off your hands. I understand that is not raw, but for us, it's a huge improvement over refined, white sugar. I have S.A.D. family members who are taking baby steps to eating better, and agave is a good start for them. Congratulations to those who are aspiring to a higher level, but at 20 x the price of a gallon of gas, don't throw your agave away . . .just pass it on to those who haven't gotten to where you are yet Sponsored Link Mortgage rates as low as 4.625% - $150,000 loan for $579 a month. Intro-*Terms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2006 Report Share Posted November 20, 2006 Ooops! Sorry Deirdre, I really wasn't thinking on that path so how about this, the Stevia Leaves that were supposed to be hard to find, I found in The Smile Herb Shop (College Park, MD) for only $1.99 per oz. A few leaves are unbelievably sweet! It comes in a variety of forms. Give them a call to inquire about shipping if you can't get there. They can be reached on 301-474-879. Congrats to you on winning over some good choices being made by your family members. Good Health to You Elaine Sponsored Link$200,000 mortgage for $660/mo - 30/15 yr fixed, reduce debt, home equity - Click now for info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 21, 2006 Report Share Posted November 21, 2006 Are they bitter? Fay --- " E. Rice-Fells " <shortydemp wrote: > Ooops! Sorry Deirdre, > > I really wasn't thinking on that path so how about > this, the Stevia Leaves that were supposed to be > hard to find, I found in The Smile Herb Shop > (College Park, MD) for only $1.99 per oz. A few > leaves are unbelievably sweet! It comes in a > variety of forms. Give them a call to inquire about > shipping if you can't get there. They can be > reached on 301-474-879. > > Congrats to you on winning over some good choices > being made by your family members. > > > > > Good Health to You > Elaine > > > > Sponsored Link > > $200,000 mortgage for $660/mo - 30/15 yr fixed, > reduce debt, home equity - Click now for info ______________________________\ ____ Sponsored Link Rates near 39yr lows. $420,000 Loan for $1399/mo. Calcuate new payment. www.LowerMyBills.com/lre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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