That's Fit

Agave nectar has shown up as tidbits in various post on That's Fit before, whether it's an ingredient in a hot chocolate recipe or an element of a celebrity's diet. But for those of you who don't know the details of what this sweet syrup is, where it comes from and why it's a good alternative to sugar or artificial sweeteners, this is for you:

Agave nectar is derived from a Mexican plant and considered a healthy alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners because it's naturally derived and has a low glycemic effect, which is explained thoroughly in this article on Shake Off the Sugar a web site devoted to low-carb options and reducing sugar intake. And here's another article about the trend in use of agave as a sweet alternative.

As for me, I use it in tea and baking recipes as well as in my morning oatmeal. The other day, I used it in lemonade. But I found adding a little organic sugar made the taste of the lemons come out more. Call me crazy.

My experiments have been fun and mostly successful. And I can vouch for agave's low glycemic load as I'm a type 1 diabetic using an insulin pump to control blood sugar and testing often. The effect of agave nectar on my blood sugar is minimal. But of course other experiences might be different. Our bodies are not entirely identical in how they react to various substances. And I'm not your doctor, so talk to yours about how you might use agave in your diet.

You can usually find agave in your local health food store. My local Super Target stocks it too. And you can buy online too. Sweet!

You may have heard the "glycemic index" being touted in commercials for diets and foods in the last few years. It's the latest scientific-sounding buzzword used in those ludicrous "eat anything you want and still lose weight" advertisements. But, the glycemic index is very real outside of that.

The skin is a great representation of what we put into our bodies. The more junk food and processed chemicals we snarf on show up as acne and dull skin (not to mention disgusting-smelling perspiration), and as we all know, most kids with acne have it high on their "I want it gone" list.

Can you help? Sure -- by designing a diet using low-glycemic principles. In most cases, you can't have it both ways; topical treatments will only do so much, as getting rid of acne must come from inside the body to help the outside.