The truth about Agave syrup

We have seen it way too many times--a product comes out with a ton of fanfare and mass media marketing behind it and is labeled the next health craze of our time. It happened with soy, organic foods, energy drinks and a host of other items. While not hyped as much as the others mentioned, agave syrup can now safely be put in this category.

Let’s first discuss what Agave really is. Blue agave comes from exotic plants in Mexico that gets its powerful nutrients from the tropical sunlight.

If you ferment the nectar, you now are blessed with a drink that has caused millions of people to do things that they normally wouldn’t ever thought of and thus embarrass themselves in the process when drank in large quantities—Tequila!

But really, agave has recently been touted as the healthy alternative to refined sugar, when in fact it has been overly processed and stripped of most of its valuable nutrients.

This is basically all about fructose levels and blue agave has higher levels of fructose than any other sweetener on the market today and that includes even high fructose corn syrup—over 50% more!!

Keep in mind that fructose is the sugar that we find in our fruits and when consumed at moderate levels, are beneficial to your health because this natural sugar comes with enzymes, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It becomes a big problem when the fructose starts to be synthesized in the local lab, creating a manmade ingredient. The agave that is found in most markets today is chemically processed and highly concentrated with fructose, which the body cannot normally breakdown and process.

High levels of fructose are linked with many conditions but primarily obesity, diabetes and heart disease and metabolic syndrome. Also, high levels of fructose can be very damaging to your liver causing it to become fatty and diseased.

We also know that agave nectar is made in almost the same way as high fructose corn syrup “using a highly chemical process dependent on genetically modified enzymes"(http://www.westonaprice.org/modern-foods/agave-nectar-worse-than-we-thought).

Other reasons not to use agave nectar are:

-          high pesticide use

-          quality control is not adequate: most products being used today are less quality and can even be toxic

-          high levels of saponins: saponins are toxins that disrupt red blood cells and also have been linked to miscarriages due to increased blood flow to the uterus (pregnant women should stay away from agave products)

-          Stripped of all nutrients: mainly enzymes because if left in, the agave can start fermenting and turn into tequila ( Watch what you put on little Johnny’s oatmeal in the morning)

If you are like me and have that uncontrollable sweet tooth beckoning you at night, use natural stevia, LoHan and if you absolutely need agave nectar, make sure that you are getting the real deal. This will be difficult and require some research and maybe even a trip to Mexico!

Are Eggs good for us?

There is quite a bit of confusion on whether or not eggs are healthy for us. Conventional wisdom tells us that eggs increase cholesterol, they are high in fat and they’re not suitable for the heart patient. While there is some shreds of truth in each of those thoughts, eggs should be an important component in most of our diets when eaten the correct way.

Let’s first discuss the word that is usually synonymous with eggs—cholesterol. If you have valid concerns about your body’s cholesterol levels, this is a crucial point. Eggs that are consumed the proper way will NOT have an impact on total cholesterol in the body. How can you properly or improperly eat eggs, you might ask?

As I have said many times before, the more we cook our foods the better chance that we start to lose key nutrients in that food. With eggs, the more we scramble them, Sunnyside up them and 4 egg omelet them, the more chance that the cholesterol in these eggs become oxidized.  Oxidized cholesterol is found in other things such as processed foods, hydrogenated oils, deep fried foods, fast foods, chips, fries and a gazillion other things that are so darn tasty! This is the type of cholesterol that forms plaque in the lining of the arteries.

However, when we take that same egg and either eat it raw (the egg yolk) or soft boil it, then we are talking about a completely nutritious product that can, according to recent studies, decrease your risk of heart disease. This is the type of cholesterol that our body wants and needs. We always hear about the good and bad (HDL, LDL) cholesterol. Well, this affects the good type.

One egg has about 6 grams of protein and has all the essential amino acids required to be considered a complete protein.  You cannot say that for lots of different types of meats and particularly soy.

Some other key nutrients that are found in eggs include choline, which is great for mental function and memory. Additionally, Vitamins A & E which are strong antioxidants for the body, Vitamin B for energy levels and Selenium, another strong antioxidant and immune system booster.

Let’s not forget about the fats that are found in eggs. Initially, we hear the word fat and want to run away. But these are the essential fatty acids that are body requires.

Now that we know eggs, when eaten the correct way, can have enormous health benefits for us, the next debate is whether or not it makes a difference on the type of eggs we are eating.

When we want to find healthy eggs, it is critical that we look for higher quality free-range organic varieties.  We always want to look for the organic type, meaning the chicken was fed only organic food and not pesticide ridden grains (mainly GMO corn). 

My strong recommendation is to find a local farmer or farmer’s market and purchase your eggs from them opposed to commercially raised chickens found in grocery stores.

There is quite the nutritional difference between organically raised hens to commercially raised hens, including:

-          ¼ less saturated fat

-          2/3 more Vitamin A

-          3 times more Vitamin E

-          2 times more Omega-3 fatty acids

Let’s stay on this topic of Omega-3 fatty acids for a minute. We have all heard that these fatty acids are beneficial and while this is true, we need to make sure we are getting the right types of omega-3 in our diet. There are plant based omega-3’s (usually found in eggs, flaxseed, hemp seed and nuts) and there are animal based omega-3’s (fish, fish oil, krill oil).  While plant based is okay, most of the health benefits from taking omega-3’s come from animal based sources.

 I am not telling you to stop taking your flaxseed (which has ALA) but do your best in supplementing it with animal based sources that have DHA and EPA in it. Again, the health benefits are enormous and most Americans are deficient in omega-3’s.

According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, “Most of your health benefits associated with omega-3 fats are linked to animal-based omega-3 fats like EPA and DHA, not plant-based omega-3 fats like ALA. ALA is converted into EPA and DHA in your body, but only at a very low ratio. Even if you eat large amounts of ALA, your body can only convert very small amounts into EPA and DHA, and only when sufficient enzymes are present”.

Unfortunately, most of the eggs that are found in grocery stores have the ALA type omega-3’s, which is a bit misleading.

In summary:

- Effects on body cholesterol depends on how you are consuming eggs

- Raw yolk and soft boiled are your best choices (You may have concerns about salmonella but if you are truly eating healthy eggs, the risk is minimal. Only sick hens will lay salmonella contaminated eggs. If you just cannot seem to get a raw yolk down, a wise option would be to put it in a smoothie or mixing it up in oatmeal)

- Eggs scrambled, omelets or fried eggs turn into oxidized cholesterol, having detrimental effects on your health

-Key nutrients and antioxidants are found in healthy eggs

- Find a local farmer’s market or someone you trust who is raising hens on their own

-Free range organic are best options

- Don’t believe the Omega-3 claims on commercially produced eggs