Wow, Kirsteen, thanks for that link.
I haven't used Agave Nectar, but I would have if I could have got it,
and did even think of sending overseas for some. I have even been known
to recommend it based on my reading. It's made from the roots, though,
not from any part that could qualify to be called nectar; the real
traditional product is apparently very expensive, and only a little can
be produced. Just read about the chemical processes used in its
manufacture - this is a major disappointment.
The other information is also stunning.
Sally Fallon Morell and Rami Nagel are the authors.
Quite jaw-dropping. Here are some quotes:
There can be no debate about the fact that both sugar and HFCS, with
their empty, depleting, addictive calories, are bad for you. But the
real question is whether HFCS is actually worse for you—more depleting
and more damaging— than ordinary sugar. The research indicates that it is.
Glucose enters the cells through the action of insulin; fructose enters
the cells through the action of something called a Glut-5 transporter,
which does not depend on insulin. This transporter is absent from
pancreatic B-cells and the brain, which indicates limited entry of
fructose into these tissues. Glucose provides “satiety” signals to the
brain that fructose cannot provide because it is not transported into
the brain.
However, most of the fructose in fruit is in the form of L-fructose or
levulose; the fructose in HFCS is a different isomer, D-fructose........
the fructose in HFCS is therefore not recognized in the human Krebs
cycle for primary conversion to blood glucose in any significant
quantity, and therefore cannot be used for energy utilization.^13
Instead, these refined fructose sweeteners are primarily converted into
triglycerides and adipose tissue (body fat). .........
obese people who drank a fructose-sweetened beverage with a meal had
triglyceride levels almost 200 percent higher than obese people who
drank a glucose-sweetened beverage with a meal.........
the agave nectar purchased in stores is neither of these traditional
foods: “Agave nectar is a newly created sweetener, having been developed
during the 1990’s.........
agave “nectar” is not made from the sap of the yucca or agave plant but
from the starch of the giant pineapple-like, root bulb. The principal
constituent of the agave root is starch, similar to the starch in corn
or rice, and a complex carbohydrate called inulin, which is made up of
chains of fructose molecules...... the refined fructose in agave nectar
is much more concentrated than the fructose in HFCS. For comparison, the
high fructose corn syrup used in sodas is 55 percent refined fructose.
(A natural agave product does exist in Mexico, a molasses type of syrup
from concentrated plant nectar, but availability is limited and it is
expensive to produce.)........... agave “nectar” and HFCS “are indeed
made the same way, using a highly chemical process with genetically
modified enzymes. They are also using caustic acids, clarifiers,
filtration chemicals and so forth in the conversion of agave starches.”
“Corn syrup treated with enzymes to enhance the fructose levels is to be
labeled ‘High Fructose Corn Syrup.’” According to Mr. Stutsman, agave
requires the label “hydrolyzed inulin syrup.”^37 Even though, like corn,
agave is a starch and fiber food processed with enzymes, it does not
require the label “High Fructose Agave Syrup.” Agave “nectar” is a
misnomer; at the very least, it should be labeled “agave syrup.”
The industry describes saponins in agave syrup as beneficial:...........
the truth is that the saponins found in many varieties of agave plants
are toxic steroid derivatives, capable of disrupting red blood cells and
producing diarrhea and vomiting,^39 ..... to be avoided during pregnancy
or breastfeeding because they might cause or contribute to miscarriage
by stimulating blood flow to the uterus.^40 .......At the very least,
agave products should carry a warning label indicating that the product
may cause a miscarriage.
Clever marketing has led mane consumers to believe that the high level
of fructose in agave syrup makes it a safe and a natural sweetener.
....... Agave syrup labels do not conform to FDA labeling requirements,
thus deepening the false illusion of an unprocessed product.......... .
As we have demonstrated here, if a sweetener contains manufactured
fructose, it is neither safe, nor natural, especially at levels up to 70
percent.
Agave syrup is a manmade sweetener which has been through a complicated
chemical refining process of enzymatic digestion that converts the
starch and fiber into the unbound, manmade chemical fructose. .... While
high fructose agave syrup won’t spike your blood glucose levels, the
fructose in it may cause mineral depletion, liver inflammation,
hardening of the arteries, insulin resistance leading to diabetes, high
blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and obesity.
Almost half of tested samples of commercial high-fructose corn syrup
(HFCS) contained mercury, which was also found in nearly a third of 55
popular brand-name food and beverage products where HFCS is the first-
or second-highest labeled ingredient, according to two new U.S. studies.
researchers found detectable levels of mercury in nine of 20 samples of
commercial HFCS........
a non-profit watchdog group, found that nearly one in three of 55
brand-name foods contained mercury. The chemical was found most commonly
in HFCS-containing dairy products, dressings and condiments.
The most likely source of the mercury is mercury-containing caustic
soda, used in the production of HFCS......
four plants in Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio and West Virginia still use
“mercury-cell” technology that can lead to contamination...............
free refined fructose interferes with the heart’s use of key minerals,
like magnesium, copper and chromium. In humans, fructose feeding leads
to mineral losses, especially higher fecal excretions of iron and
magnesium, than do subjects fed sucrose. ......... Iron, magnesium,
calcium, and zinc balances tended to be more negative during the
fructose-feeding period as compared to balances during the
sucrose-feeding period. .............. excess fructose can be carried to
the lower intestine where it provides nutrients for the existing gut
flora, which produce gas. It may also cause water retention in the
intestine. These effects may lead to bloating, excessive flatulence,
loose stools, and even diarrhea depending on the amounts eaten and other
factors.^16
Fructose reduces the affinity of insulin for its receptor, which is the
hallmark of type-2 diabetes. This is the first step for glucose to enter
a cell. As a result, the body needs to pump out more insulin to handle
the same amount of glucose.^21
Fructose ingestion acutely elevates blood pressure in healthy young
humans.^22
Fructose consumption leads to more lactic acid formation compared to
glucose. Extreme elevations cause metabolic acidosis, even leading to
death.^23 ......... elevations in plasma uric acid after dietary
consumption of fructose, especially in patients with high blood
pressure.^24 ......... Elevated uric acid may be a risk factor in
coronary disease. This may explain the findings of a recent study
published in /British Medical Journal/ linking fructose to gout.^25 ...
Cases of gout have risen in recent years, despite the fact that gout is
commonly considered a Victorian disease. The suspect is fructose found
in soft drinks and other sweetened drinks
Studies on the Maillard reaction indicate that fructose may contribute
to diabetic complications more readily than glucose. The Maillard
reaction is a browning reaction that occurs when compounds are exposed
to various sugars. Fructose browns food seven times faster than glucose,
resulting in a decrease in protein quality and a toxicity of protein in
the body.^27 This is due to the loss of amino acid residues and
decreased protein digestibility.high-sucrose diets may alter
intracellular metabolism, which in turn facilitates accelerated aging
through oxidative damage.
widespread practice of feeding bees refined sucrose or refined
crystallized or liquid HFCS during the months when pollen and nectar are
not available. The bees then run the sweetener through their digestive
tracts. The resulting product is labeled as honey but it may not have
the same quality as natural honey.Millions of beehives worldwide have
emptied out as honeybees mysteriously disappear, putting at risk nearly
100 crops that require pollination. One explanation is the toxic effect
of HFCS on the bees, in addition to the stress of additional months of
honey production, leading to reduced immunity and eventually to mite
infestation.
On 28/02/2010 6:52 PM, Kirsteen Wright wrote:
On Sat, Feb 27, 2010 at 11:37 PM, <zzekel...@aol.com
<mailto:zzekel...@aol.com>> wrote:
In a message dated 2/27/2010 4:17:11 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
kenancy2...@yahoo.com <mailto:kenancy2...@yahoo.com> writes:
Of all the alternatives to sugar, Xylitol and esp. Agave are
the best ones, bar none.
i used to think Agave Nectar was fantastic but this article by Weston
Price has really made me think again. I avoid it now.
http://www.westonaprice.org/Agave-Nectar-Worse-Than-We-Thought.html
Cheers
Kirsteen
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