Comments on: Clean Eating http://pumpkinandpomegranate.com/2010/clean-eating-and-labels/ Passionate about nourishing and scrumptious food Thu, 25 Aug 2011 17:13:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ricki http://pumpkinandpomegranate.com/2010/clean-eating-and-labels/comment-page-1/#comment-725 Ricki Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:18:27 +0000 http://pumpkinandpomegranate.com/?p=1738#comment-725 First, let me say that I'm not in any way connected to any company that makes agave nectar! Having said that, I also think that people are getting their knickers in a knot over this sweetener, for no apparent reason. Would you boycott maple syrup as well? It's also a naturally-derived sweetener that's been around for centuries. And it's converted to glucose in the blood just as quickly as white sugar. So why is maple syrup okay? Like any food-related fad, my feeling is that this will die down eventually and some people will continue to use it while others won't. Same as artificial sweeteners, same as oat bran for high cholesterol, same as "low fat," etc. Like anything else that raises blood sugar or stresses the liver (did you know that eating grapefruit affects the liver? Eating coconut oil affects the liver. Eating ANY high-fat food affects the liver), it should be taken IN MODERATION. An occasional treat with agave nectar--or maple syrup, or evaporated cane juice (gasp), or any sweetener--isn't going to kill you. I think the REAL problem is that we are all so addicted to sugar and junk food that the concepts of "occasional" and "moderation" have become impossible for most people in our society. So we seek out some savior, like agave nectar, that will allow us to continue to eat our desserts. (As a side note, I used to write for Clean Eating. They banned any recipes with agave nectar about a year ago--so I was very surprised to read that they now included it again! Maybe they've found out something we're not seeing on the Internet? Or was it an older issue of the magazine?) First, let me say that I’m not in any way connected to any company that makes agave nectar! Having said that, I also think that people are getting their knickers in a knot over this sweetener, for no apparent reason. Would you boycott maple syrup as well? It’s also a naturally-derived sweetener that’s been around for centuries. And it’s converted to glucose in the blood just as quickly as white sugar. So why is maple syrup okay? Like any food-related fad, my feeling is that this will die down eventually and some people will continue to use it while others won’t. Same as artificial sweeteners, same as oat bran for high cholesterol, same as “low fat,” etc.

Like anything else that raises blood sugar or stresses the liver (did you know that eating grapefruit affects the liver? Eating coconut oil affects the liver. Eating ANY high-fat food affects the liver), it should be taken IN MODERATION. An occasional treat with agave nectar–or maple syrup, or evaporated cane juice (gasp), or any sweetener–isn’t going to kill you.

I think the REAL problem is that we are all so addicted to sugar and junk food that the concepts of “occasional” and “moderation” have become impossible for most people in our society. So we seek out some savior, like agave nectar, that will allow us to continue to eat our desserts.

(As a side note, I used to write for Clean Eating. They banned any recipes with agave nectar about a year ago–so I was very surprised to read that they now included it again! Maybe they’ve found out something we’re not seeing on the Internet? Or was it an older issue of the magazine?)

]]> By: Kiley from Coconut Bliss http://pumpkinandpomegranate.com/2010/clean-eating-and-labels/comment-page-1/#comment-608 Kiley from Coconut Bliss Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:06:23 +0000 http://pumpkinandpomegranate.com/?p=1738#comment-608 Hi Marissa, I've been trying to find research on the connection between agave & the liver that you talked about-can you point me in the right direction? Thanks, Kiley Hi Marissa,
I’ve been trying to find research on the connection between agave & the liver that you talked about-can you point me in the right direction?
Thanks,
Kiley

]]> By: Heather McD (Heather Eats Almond Butter) http://pumpkinandpomegranate.com/2010/clean-eating-and-labels/comment-page-1/#comment-571 Heather McD (Heather Eats Almond Butter) Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:49:14 +0000 http://pumpkinandpomegranate.com/?p=1738#comment-571 Yes, yes, yes. Do not subscribe. :) Yes, yes, yes.

Do not subscribe. :)

]]> By: Marissa http://pumpkinandpomegranate.com/2010/clean-eating-and-labels/comment-page-1/#comment-548 Marissa Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:37:25 +0000 http://pumpkinandpomegranate.com/?p=1738#comment-548 Thank you for your comment Kiley. The main problem I have with agave is its effect on the liver, and unfortunately I didn't see that brought up in any of these articles. There is also the problem that I can see beginning to happen which is that agave is showing up in many different foods, not just one singular item eaten in a day. I see people using it in coffee, in sodas, in bars, ice cream, salad dressings, cookies, sauces, smoothies, etc. They are using it just as people use table sugar or HFCS. Yes, a small amount of agave may not be as terrible as I make it out to be, but it isn't something that one <em>needs</em> to add to their diet to be healthy either. Do I ever consume agave? Yes. Do I make a daily habit of it? No. Do I say it is in any way "healthy" definitely not! That is the issue I have, when people call it a "Healthy" sweetener. I do enjoy Coconut Bliss from time to time though, as it is one of the only commercial "ice cream" product that doesn't use dairy or soy. I just wish there was <em>less</em> agave in it as it is now overly sweet to my apparently sensitive taste buds. When it comes down to it I do agree that Coconut Bliss is healthier when you compare it to Ice Cream made with soy and with table sugar, but it is just something that one can only eat on occasion. Thank you so much for your input! I really appreciate it and also I appreciated reading those articles. Thank you for your comment Kiley. The main problem I have with agave is its effect on the liver, and unfortunately I didn’t see that brought up in any of these articles. There is also the problem that I can see beginning to happen which is that agave is showing up in many different foods, not just one singular item eaten in a day. I see people using it in coffee, in sodas, in bars, ice cream, salad dressings, cookies, sauces, smoothies, etc. They are using it just as people use table sugar or HFCS. Yes, a small amount of agave may not be as terrible as I make it out to be, but it isn’t something that one needs to add to their diet to be healthy either. Do I ever consume agave? Yes. Do I make a daily habit of it? No. Do I say it is in any way “healthy” definitely not! That is the issue I have, when people call it a “Healthy” sweetener.

I do enjoy Coconut Bliss from time to time though, as it is one of the only commercial “ice cream” product that doesn’t use dairy or soy. I just wish there was less agave in it as it is now overly sweet to my apparently sensitive taste buds. When it comes down to it I do agree that Coconut Bliss is healthier when you compare it to Ice Cream made with soy and with table sugar, but it is just something that one can only eat on occasion. Thank you so much for your input! I really appreciate it and also I appreciated reading those articles.

]]> By: Kiley from Coconut Bliss http://pumpkinandpomegranate.com/2010/clean-eating-and-labels/comment-page-1/#comment-546 Kiley from Coconut Bliss Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:09:24 +0000 http://pumpkinandpomegranate.com/?p=1738#comment-546 Hi Marissa, I want to start this conversation by being transparent, I do work for Coconut Bliss. I respect that you find Coconut Bliss too sweet. I myself do not have a huge sweet tooth and often satisfy it with fruit. I do want to contribute to the agave discussion that has been raging around the internet for the last year or so. When the articles about fructose & agave started breaking we stepped back and did a lot of research into the subject. I invite you to read these 3 articles that helped convince us that agave was still a good choice as a sweetener. http://www.realrawfood.com/article/response-just-say-no-agave http://www.coconutbliss.com/assets/Agave_Syrup_9.4.09.pdf http://www.coconutbliss.com/Buck_Levin.pdf I'm not advocating that agave be used in all the products you talked about above, or all the time. Like yourself I read every label that comes into my home & I do not eat much processed food. Blissful Regards, Kiley Hi Marissa,
I want to start this conversation by being transparent, I do work for Coconut Bliss. I respect that you find Coconut Bliss too sweet. I myself do not have a huge sweet tooth and often satisfy it with fruit.

I do want to contribute to the agave discussion that has been raging around the internet for the last year or so. When the articles about fructose & agave started breaking we stepped back and did a lot of research into the subject. I invite you to read these 3 articles that helped convince us that agave was still a good choice as a sweetener.
http://www.realrawfood.com/article/response-just-say-no-agave
http://www.coconutbliss.com/assets/Agave_Syrup_9.4.09.pdf
http://www.coconutbliss.com/Buck_Levin.pdf
I’m not advocating that agave be used in all the products you talked about above, or all the time. Like yourself I read every label that comes into my home & I do not eat much processed food.
Blissful Regards,
Kiley

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