Crazy over Sugar

This is what makes my blood boil. Everyone thinks they are nutrition experts The woman at the gym with no college education, the guy in yoga class, the model who wrote a book. Everyone. Then when I try to explain why what they are saying is not quite right, I get the look like I am crazy. Last week in my yoga class I noticed a book in the room. It was "Skinny Bitch" I have read this book, it is quite entertaining, some helpful ideas, but the science is as fuzzy as a grape that has been in the back of the refrigerator for a while. The owner of the studio was reading pieces of it to her classes. I tried to explain that they were not really qualified to write a nutrition/diet book as one woman is a model and the other one is her agent. The answer that I got was this, "They are right on about the Agave nectar, It has a really low glycemic index". True it does, but do you actually know what glycemic index is and how it works. That was a no. My blood was boiling by this time and I was suffering from after yoga head fuzz, so my answer was not as precise as it would be the total explaination being a rather compicated one.
American Heart Association recently put out new reccomendations about sugar. Heart, sugar really. Seems that high amounts of sugar can increase blood pressure, increase blood triglycerides (we knew that), increases viseral fat (the fat around your organs) and lead to weight gain. The aim is for no more than 25 grams of sugar per day for women and 38 grams of sugar per day for men. That's 6 1/2 teaspoons for women or 100 calories and 9 1/2 teaspoons for men or 150 calories. That average American consumes 350-475 calories from sugar. A 12 once coke contains 10 teaspoons of sugar.
So back to the agave nectar. This is the new sugar crazy. A natural sugar, a healthy sugar, low glycemic index.
Back to sugars. GI for agave nectar is 10-19. GI for table sugar is 60-65. GI for honey is 37-65.
GIs for sugars are lower depending on the amount of fructose. Agave nectar is 84% fructose, Table sugar is 50% fructose, honey is 50% fructose. By the way High fructose corn sugar is about 55% fructose. The reason the GIs are lower is that fructose goes right to the liver and enters the blood stream as triglycerides (fat). Glucose enters the blood stream and is used by cells for energy, any excess is converted to fat.
(the following paragraph should be before the previous one - not figuring out how to cut and paste.)
Glycemic index is a range of how quickly a food raises blood glucose levels. It is based on 100grams of a food. It it also based on eating that food alone, not as part of a meal with other foods, which is the setting that most of us eat in. GI (glycemic index) can vary depending on a number of factors. *how a food is cooked *where the food is grown and at what time of year *varies between people *varies by time of day. It can be an extra tool to help people with diabetes. Not all foods have been measured for GI. Foods that are high in fiber generally have a lower GI. A low GI, however, does not mean a food is healthy. Compare these GIs- *chocolate bar- 49 *kidney beans- 52 *Pear-58, *Icecream-60. The chocolate bar has the lowest GI of the group, it is the least healthy of the bunch. The fat content of the chocolate reduces the GI.

Bottom line, aim for the reccomendations for sugar, read lables for amounts of sugar, eat more real unprocessed foods, without added sugar. Because a sugar is natural, does not mean it is good for you. Choose the sugar that does the job you want it to do and because you like the flavor. Agave nectar is great for mixing into cold drinks, as it incorperated well and is less gritty that granulated sugar. Confectionary sugar is good for decorating desserts. If I am sweetening tea, I prefer honey. Put sugar in my coffee and I will spit it out. Try to decrease the amount of sugar used and enjoy the flavor of the food itself.
Moderation, moderation.... So back to the Skinny Bitches - the idea that agave nectar is the best sugar and the only one you should use is not logical. Maybe they have stock in the agave industry. This product is pricey. If you ferment it, it becomes tequilla.


Ranch Dressing (no added sugars- low in salt too and gluten free)

1 cup mayo
1/2 cup lite sour cream
1/2 tsp fresh chives (these are easy to grow)
1/2 tsp dill
1/2 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 or more fresh ground pepper.

Mix well in a bowl.
Tastes nice and fresh.