Elana's Pantry Forums » ingredients

1. 

   mtkoren
   Member

   Rather shocking was the late October announcement from the Glycemic Research Institute that they were halting clinical trials on diabetic subjects being given higher doses of Agave syrup (supplied by Volcanic) due to "severe side effects in diabetics". And they speculate on the causes and so on.

   As I understand it, this is the organization that certifies diabetic friendly foods based on glycemic indices and clinical trials. It is worth a read!

   Here is the link:

   http://www.glycemic.com/AgaveReport.htm

   Michael

   Posted 9 months ago #
2. 

   Naturenut
   Member

   I just read the announcement. The agave product used was a high amount of a new product Volcanic had not released to the public yet: Agave Maple Syrup. The study hasn't concluded yet what the reason for the diabetic side effects were. I also read the statement on Volcanic Nectar's website and it gives the composition of the regular agave vs. the new maple version and it includes a sucrose amount in it. Maybe that was the big difference? I also believe, whether it is agave or not, it's wise to limit consumption of any sweetener in general. Even the healthiest ones will cause blood sugar spikes in excess and if diet is lacking in protein. Thanks for posting this article!

   Posted 9 months ago #
3. 

   suncrystal
   Member

   Sorry about this, but when I received my new cookbook today and saw that Elana was using agave as a sweetener in most "sweet" recipes, I decided I needed to come here to give you all some info about it. :( I've decided to substitute maple syrup.

   Here's the link:

   Shocking! This 'Tequila' Sweetener is Far Worse than High Fructose Corn Syrup:

   http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/03/30/beware-of-the-agave-nectar-health-food.aspx

   Posted 2 months ago #
4. 

   HappyRaw
   Member

   Suncrystal, why are you spreading this negative campaign against agave nectar? First off, the fear-mongering headline is very misleading. Without all the facts, the incident you are referring to is just another smear tactic. The facts are that the test was done using a mixture of maple syrup and agave syrup. Maple syrup is not a low glycemic food, and this is very dangerous for certain types of diabetics. Without understanding the level of diabetes that this subject suffers from, this is just rubbish. My friend is a Type 1 diabetic, and he will drop into convulsions if he doesn't take his insulin or replenish with sugar (glucose). Your second post, pointing to Mercola's article, has been discussed heavily on this site. Most of Mercola's facts are wrong, and the bottom line is that honey and agave both have fructose, as do fruits and other sugars. Agave is better than honey and sugar in specific benefits, which may or may not be what you are looking for. For example, agave is low glycemic (it ranges from the mid-30's to 17) which means there is no sugar rush or crash, and there is no rollercoaster effect of wanting more sugar after you drop. Agave is sweeter than sugar and honey, so you can use less, saving calories. Agave has trace amounts of minerals and inulin, providing other benefits to your digestion and diet. You seem to be one of those negative p.r. folks who have been slamming agave without any logical backup - what honey company do you work for? Did you know Mercola sells his own line of honey? By the way, on his online store for this honey, he warns that this honey is 70% fructose (pretty close to the same amount that's in many agave nectar brands). So if Mercola believes that fructose from agave nectar is evil, but fructose from honey is a superfood, and he makes money by selling honey, then what we have here is a conflict of interest... wouldn't you say?

   Posted 2 months ago #
5. 

   suncrystal
   Member

   Jeepers, i stand corrected - didn't mean to step on anyone's toes here. I love my new cookbook - this is all brand new to me, but the conspiracy stuff has been in my life since 1980, so I tend to believe the worst of the [evil] government, for whom i used to work. I had no idea Mercola was a disninfo agent. (no, I don't sell anything.)

   Please forgive me - your tone is very insulting...

   Posted 2 months ago #
6. 

   HappyRaw
   Member

   Sorry Suncrystal - I didn't mean to be insulting. My concern is that so many people just believe the misinformation swirling around, and then continue to pass it along as the truth that I feel compelled to weigh in. Mercola started as someone who was fighting big food corporations, and now I feel like he is the big corporation - selling his own line through fear and misinformation, without regard to the facts that have been presented to him. My apologies!

   Posted 2 months ago #
7. 

   HappyRaw
   Member

   Forgot to post this link to Elena's take on the so-called agave controversy: http://www.elanaspantry.com/is-agave-good-or-bad/

   Elena points out Mercola's errors and gives a clear-headed approach to understanding why agave nectar is beneficial as an organic sweetener.

   If you want to read a few insightful responses to Mercola's claims, here's a few more to balance your research:

   http://www.braintoniq.com/is-agave-bad-for-you-fallacy.php

   http://smallbites.andybellatti.com/?s=agave+nectar+mercola

   There is a lot more available from doctors, nutritionists and regular people who enjoy agave in moderation. That is the key for any sweetener - moderation.

   Posted 2 months ago #
8. 

   suncrystal
   Member

   Thanks, HappyRaw - I'll check out the links.

   Posted 2 months ago #
9. 

   suncrystal
   Member

   Dear HappyRaw,

   Well, this was in my email and here at the forum this morning:

   http://www.glycemic.com/AgaveReport.htm

   So it appears I was right??? argh.

   Posted 2 months ago #
10. 

    suncrystal
    Member

    Dear HappyRaw,

    i found the truth, finally. A great explanation.

    Mike Adams (naturalnews.com) contacted the manufacturer, who wrote a loooong rebuttal, explaining the 2 different processes being used by 2 differenet manufacturers, the first of which is out of business and which is the one the negative report is based on, even thouugh the good guy was contacted. Not one word of his explanation was contained in the negative report.

    it appears to me that agave is very successful and is probably competition for the toxins aspartame and Splenda (?), making this an attack by TPTW (The Powers That Were).

    Here's the full article: http://www.naturalnews.com/025060_agave_nectar_sugar_sugars.html

    Posted 2 months ago #
11. 

    CAO
    Member

    I think part of the confusion is that we're treating the topic as though there is one issue. I have Elana's book b/c I use almond flour. As a diabetic I can tell you for a fact various "safe" foods drive up my blood glucose. Fruit & wheat to name two. Honey & similar sweeteners are out of the question for me - but not "normal" people.

    We are discussing 'good sweeteners' as though they are good for everyone. Concentrated fructose is certainly not what I consider good food nor is it good for everyone. But limiting servings might keep you in a 'good' range... unless you cant tolerate fructose or don't have the detailed info to calculate consumption. (Agave comes mostly from Mexico & the US does not regulate production. We have to trust what is on the label - details are important).

    Testing had not been done previously with diabetics and agave. The institute's study does not draw specific conclusions b/c they have not tested for the most likely culprits such as serving size. EX: Oat meal is considered both "good" and "safe." If I eat one pkt my after-meal bg is OK. If I eat 2 pkts my bg skyrockets.

    Let's be realistic: table sugar is fructose & glucose - as are honey & agave nectar. There are pros & cons for each due our tastes, processing methods & specific composition. But it w/b cruel to continue to certify something as safe for diabetics when that is not certain.

    I'll continue to use stevia as my primary sweetener. Not a sugar; no carbs; glycemic index of 0. I'll also use xylitol, approved by the Amer. Dental Assoc., even though it is an alcohol sugar b/c it helps fight bacteria & does not raise my bg. I can calculate the serving sizes of these ingredients.

    Posted 4 days ago #

RSS feed for this topic

Reply

You must log in to post.

these forums are provided and hosted by elana's pantry

Learn more about my ingredients | Visit my FAQ's | Subscribe to Elana's Pantry by Email