Valentine

While thinking about sweets for my sweetie this Valentines Day I began looking at what kind of sweetener I was going to use in my straight from the heart, homemade, yummy chocolate treats.    I want the best for my sweetie.  He loves chocolate but there will be NO "refined" sugar or "natural and raw" sugar for this man.  "Refined" and yes, "natural and raw"  sugar are toxic to the body for 2 reasons.

(Side step and FYI - I won't even go into the artificial camp of sweeteners here (ie. Aspartame, Equal, NutraSweet, Splenda.  Bottom line they are neuro-toxic....this means they damage your brain neurons - NOT good!)

Ok, on with the prelude.  First, sugar lowers the ability of our immune system to fight disease.  After consuming sugar your white blood cells (the warriors of your immune system that quench pathogens) are literally crippled for about 6 hours after consuming sugar containing beverages and foods. This leaves you vulnerable to infection......lord knows we need all the support we can get these days to fight sneaky bugs.  Secondly, it results in a damaging sequence that stresses your pancreas, brain, adrenals, not to mention waistline.

So, now on with my dramatic discovery....actually not MY discovery, this is actually well documented, known by many healthy practitioners, written up in scientific journals AND it has been bugging me for a long time! 

So, in my pursuit of "healthy" chocolate recipes, they all contained Agave Syrup.  Annoying.  Agave is everywhere! It is being touted as the lone star to save the day as a healthy sweetener, which couldn't be further from the truth.

Agave Syrup - the High Fructose Cactus Syrup

I may be bursting your bubble here but Agave Syrup is NOT all it is cracked up to be.  Yes, it is hailed as the super ultra healthy, low glycemic, safe for everyone, especially Diabetics, kind of sweetener......but this stuff is really just High Fructose Cactus Syrup.

 Blood Sugar Buster

Speaking personally as a very "glycemically sensitive person" this stuff can really land me on my face.  In my gut (not to mention pancreas) I know there is a serious glycemic response.  This symptom of feeling like I’ve just downed a bunch of sugar after eating (or drinking) Agave led me to look behind the scenes at why this stuff has been given the low glycemic vote of approval. To my surprise it is not the sweet savior to refined sugar we have been led to believe.

 The Process Busted

Yes, it is true – Agave is low glycemic.  But we must understand WHY it is given that title.  It is due to the fact that it has 90% fructose compared to the small amount of glucose (10%).  This ratio of fructose to glucose does not occur  naturally anywhere else in nature.  So, why does it occur with Agave?   Well…. the sap of the Agave plant is collected and then heated to concentrate the liquid into a syrup AND to develop the sweetness.  When the Agave sap is heated, it becomes FRUCTOSE. The fructose-rich solution is then filtered to obtain the desired products that range from dark syrup with a characteristic vanilla aroma, to a light amber liquid with more neutral characteristics.  So basically, Agave is just hydrolyzed fructose.  Yuck.  Why yuck? Well, liken it to High Fructose Corn Syrup where they have manipulated the molecules to create a dangerous, artificial substance.

Harboring High Fructose

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is a HUGE nightmare in the current food industry dilemma and accounts for much of the increase in obesity over the last 10 years.  It lurks silently in numerous products such as sauces, juices, enhanced waters, breads, crackers, cereals, protein bars, etc.   (HFCS) in soda contains an even less concentration of glucose to fructose ratio at 55% (HFCS) than compared to Agave at 90%.  Even though fructose is low on the glycemic index, there are numerous problems associated with the consumption of fructose in such high concentrations as found in concentrated sweeteners.  Here are some examples:

• Fructose makes you age faster!.  Research indicates that fructose induces oxidative stress.  Scientists found that rats given fructose had more cross-linking changes in the collagen of their skin than other groups fed glucose.

• Fructose actually promotes disease more readily than glucose. This is because glucose is metabolized by every cell in the body but fructose must be metabolized by the liver.  This makes fructose convert to fat and  increases triglycerides (blood fats) significantly as well as the potential for a fatty liver.

•  Fructose may make diabetic conditions even worse.  It reduces the sensitivity of insulin receptors which are essential for glucose to enter the cell and be burned for energy.  This can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes.

So, the moral of this story is to beware of any substitute sweetener, read between the lines and be a conscious consumer, even if it does claim to be all natural and low glycemic.  Get the facts!  If you want to add sweetness to something try using Xylitol or Stevia.  Xylitol is antibacterial and actually helps you burn fat.  Stevia is derived from an herb and is NON-glycemic AND it helps to regulate blood sugar.  One of my favorites is Stevia Sweet Leaf.  It even comes in little pouches you can carry with you and have on hand.  They also have drops in a variety of flavors. 

Here's a simple recipe to help you on your way...

Chocolate Pudding to Knock Your Valentine’s Socks Off!

Gluten Free, Sugar Free……and full of nutrition & LOVE!

This nutrient dense treat contains super stars such as:

• Coconut milk – antimicrobial , healthy fats that don’t make you fat
• Avocado – loaded with vitamin E and more healthy fats that don’t make you fat
• Raw Organic Chocolate – high in Magnesium and powerful antioxidants
• Stevia – a natural sweetener that is non-glycemic and will help keep your blood sugar balanced.
• Whey Protein Powder – The most bio-available form of protein which enhances energy, immune function and detoxification.
• Walnuts – heart healthy fats
• Raspberries - a tasty low glycemic fruit that contains fiber, manganese, Vitamin C, flavonoids, B vitamins & ellagic acid.

Directions

• ½ Cup of Coconut Milk (canned)
• 2 TBS filtered water
• ¼ Avocado
• 2 TBS water
• 1-2 TBS of raw Cocoa Powder
• 2 drops of liquid Stevia
• 1 scoop of Whey Protein Powder
• 1 TBS of chopped Walnuts
• 1/4 Cup Raspberries

In a blender add coconut milk, avocado, water, cocoa and stevia.  Blend until smooth.  Then add protein powder and blend to desired consistently.  Top with chopped walnuts and raspberries. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or eat ASAP!

Enjoy, be well & thrive!

Sarah