Comments on: Food Facts & Cooks Challenge II http://www.jaredandamy.com/blog/2009/08/food-facts-cooks-challenge-ii/ jared & amy Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:14:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Meghan http://www.jaredandamy.com/blog/2009/08/food-facts-cooks-challenge-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-1938 Meghan Thu, 20 Aug 2009 04:43:10 +0000 http://jaredandamy.com/blog/?p=1234#comment-1938 There's some debate about agave because it is really highly refined (using enzymes in a harsh process) and is mostly fructose unless you search out a really specific brand. I haven't bothered doing that when I can just use honey. I use a local raw honey that really helps with my allergies, but we still use it very sparingly (and generally don't cook it because that defeats the purpose of using it for allergies - destroys the pollen). Yes, any form of sugar breaks down pretty quickly but molassas and sucanat have some beneficial minerals and nutrients that haven't been taken out like white sugar so that's part of why we choose to use them more often than white sugar. Raw sugar is just a crock :-) -Meghan There’s some debate about agave because it is really highly refined (using enzymes in a harsh process) and is mostly fructose unless you search out a really specific brand. I haven’t bothered doing that when I can just use honey.

I use a local raw honey that really helps with my allergies, but we still use it very sparingly (and generally don’t cook it because that defeats the purpose of using it for allergies – destroys the pollen). Yes, any form of sugar breaks down pretty quickly but molassas and sucanat have some beneficial minerals and nutrients that haven’t been taken out like white sugar so that’s part of why we choose to use them more often than white sugar. Raw sugar is just a crock :-)
-Meghan

]]> By: amy http://www.jaredandamy.com/blog/2009/08/food-facts-cooks-challenge-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-1925 amy Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:45:48 +0000 http://jaredandamy.com/blog/?p=1234#comment-1925 Sucanat would still break down in the body the same way and is still "empty" calories. I would probably weigh the cost versus results. It is a little better for you but I personally wouldn't be willing to spend (significantly) more for the benefit. Stevia breaks down in our bodies as steviol, which may act as a carcinogen. I got this from<a href="http://www.weight-loss-center.net/weight-loss-blog/2009/06/stevia-sugar-substitute-healthy-artificial-sweetener/" rel="nofollow"> http://www.weight-loss-center.net/weight-loss-blog/2009/06/stevia-sugar-substitute-healthy-artificial-sweetener</a>. But it seems to be a fine alternate in small doses. Agave looks to be the best of the bunch, <a href="http://blueagavenectar.com" rel="nofollow">depending on brand</a>. If it is truly mostly inulin (<a href="http://www.jbc.org/cgi/reprint/39/1/149.pdf/agavenectarmanufacturer.html" rel="nofollow">a complex sugar that may not be able to be used as an energy source for our bodies and probiotic</a>) then this seems like it really could be a <a href="http://www.healthcastle.com/agave_nectar.shtml" rel="nofollow">true wonder food</a>. Sucanat would still break down in the body the same way and is still “empty” calories. I would probably weigh the cost versus results. It is a little better for you but I personally wouldn’t be willing to spend (significantly) more for the benefit.

Stevia breaks down in our bodies as steviol, which may act as a carcinogen. I got this from http://www.weight-loss-center.net/weight-loss-blog/2009/06/stevia-sugar-substitute-healthy-artificial-sweetener. But it seems to be a fine alternate in small doses.

Agave looks to be the best of the bunch, depending on brand. If it is truly mostly inulin (a complex sugar that may not be able to be used as an energy source for our bodies and probiotic) then this seems like it really could be a true wonder food.

]]> By: Tisra http://www.jaredandamy.com/blog/2009/08/food-facts-cooks-challenge-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-1924 Tisra Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:00:45 +0000 http://jaredandamy.com/blog/?p=1234#comment-1924 I didn't have time to read the article- but what about sucanat? As far as I know, that is just the juice from sugar cane, with the water evaporated out of it which is why it looks nothing like "real sugar". We use that often. I also like Stevia as a sweetener (but only in certain things because it is bitter), and have used Agave nectar (still sweet, still has calories, but doesn't give your bloodstream a "rush" since it has a lower glycemic index). I like your take though- I think so many people don't really research why something is/is not good for them and they jump on the latest bandwagon. I didn’t have time to read the article- but what about sucanat? As far as I know, that is just the juice from sugar cane, with the water evaporated out of it which is why it looks nothing like “real sugar”. We use that often. I also like Stevia as a sweetener (but only in certain things because it is bitter), and have used Agave nectar (still sweet, still has calories, but doesn’t give your bloodstream a “rush” since it has a lower glycemic index). I like your take though- I think so many people don’t really research why something is/is not good for them and they jump on the latest bandwagon.

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