So, a bunch of us moms were talking about, of all things, honey. I had done research telling me there was a relationship between honey and High Fructose Corn Syrup0 and that some honey contained (HFCS). But when I would look on the back of the labels at ALDI for ingredients, it would say “To write for HONEY facts, please write: (address). Very evasive...

And Other labels were similarly vague. So, as with many of my posts, I was fasciniated to find out what is up!!

Here are some articles and info. The first one I found at http://www.thefitshack.com/2007/08/31/high-fructose-corn-syrup-and-honey-a-sneaky-relationship/

You might think that you’re eating healthier because you’ve replaced refined white table sugar with honey, but think again. I’m currently reading Sweet Deception by Dr. Joseph Mercola and was amazed to learn about the process of forced honey production and its correlation with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

I have learned from Dr. Mercola’s book is that there are bee farms that produce 2/3 of the annual honey production in North America by force feeding their bees high fructose corn syrup or other sugars, and keeping them under 24-hour hive lighting so that they will produce honey year round (the remaining 1/3 of honey produced in N.A. is pure honey). These tactics result in the bees producing a product that is only partially real honey; the other portion of the “honey” is high fructose corn syrup!

I am just astounded to learn this. When you buy what you think is honey in the cute little containers in the store, you do not see high fructose corn syrup listed on the label (if you have seen it, please leave a comment as I’ve never come across it). This is very sneaky; you think you’re buying honey, when in actuality, you’re purchasing a combination of some honey and HFCS! It’s just amazing to me, especially since I grew up seeing my dad harvest honey from his own hives. I watched him do that and then jar the pure honey and honeycomb. As a kid, I didn’t appreciate it, but thinking back, I sure do now!

So how do you know if you’re buying honey that contains HFCS if it’s not even listed on the label? Well, unless it states that it is raw, natural, 100% certified organic honey, then you’ve got HFCS in that bottle sitting in your cupboard. This quality of honey is also referred to as “baker’s honey”, so you guessed it: any food product you buy that contains honey as an ingredient also contains high fructose corn syrup (again, unless it states it is raw, natural, pure organic honey).

You can also tell if you have pure, raw honey by whether it burns at 140 degrees. If it burns, it’s not real honey. Of course, the force-produced honey is cheaper than raw honey, but if you are like many people who want to avoid high fructose corn syrup, you won’t want that bottle of “honey”.

Please remember that I’m not one to recommend sugar in any form, and raw honey is another form of sugar. Even so, I think it’s important to spread the word on this topic in case you are interested in using honey as a sweetener. There are many who use honey instead of table sugar, thinking that it’s better for them. How many of these people know that they are ingesting HFCS, an ingredient that stops your brain from getting the signal that you’re not full (when you really are!) because your body doesn’t “see” the fructose.

If you do not have a problem with sugar addiction and want to use raw honey as a sweetener, just look for “100% certified raw organic honey” on the label. It will cost a few dollars more, but you are also getting the benefit that it is harvested without using potentially toxic chemicals, chemicals that are widely used in conventional beekeeping today (my dad didn’t use any chemicals).

****************** ALSO**************** Here is a Wikipedia definition:

Honey

Honey is a mixture of different types of sugars, water, and small amounts of other compounds. Honey typically has a fructose/glucose ratio similar to HFCS 55, as well as containing some sucrose and other sugars. Like HFCS, honey contains water and has approximately 3 kcal per gram. Because of its similar sugar profile and its lower price, HFCS has been used illegally to “stretch” honey. As a result, checks for adulteration no longer test for sugar but instead test for minute quantities of proteins that can be used to differentiate between HFCS and honey.

Here are more links:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090826110118.htm

HERE IS A SCARY ONE:

http://www.drmirkin.com/nutrition/honey.html

Doesn’t it just make you MAD when you try to make decisions to make your family healthy, and companies take short cuts that will undermine your conscious health related decisions? This happens for so many different food avenues – whole grain products, canned foods (many tomato products, for example, contain HFCS), sweetners, …it REALLY does make sense to not only educate yourself, but to also try to be sefl sufficient in as much as you can! I have heard about the “Sweet Deceptions” book the first article talks about many times in many different circles…I know what MY next AMAZON purchase will be!

So, you will be seeing this season many companies are coming out with Olive Oil Mayo and Mayo with Olive Oil. A Healthy sounding option. BUT there still will be stuff in there thats NOT so great for the waistline. Soybean oil and Canola oil being their other major ingredients. Some have Olive Oil as the first ingredient, some don’t.

Ever thought of making your own? I was always a little nervous to. But I found a recipe that was SO easy to make, and almost pure olive oil (GREAT for Omega 9’s, Healty mono and poly unsaturated fats – GREAT for losing weight and staying slim). I even found this recipe makes a GREAT garlic -mayo sauce, and also a great fry sauce if you put in Ketchup. Just look for the ketchup that doesn’t have all the H.F. Corn syrup.

ENJOY! Let me know how you like it. Its a slightly more Olive-Oil-ish taste – I hope you like it!

Making Mayonnaise

By: Allrecipes Staff

Not a mayo fan? You might be, once you’ve tried making this versatile condiment from scratch!

Homemade mayonnaise has a milder, more neutral flavor than the store-bought varieties, and can be customized to meet your tastes.

1. Mayonnaise is simply an emulsion of oil and egg yolks, with a little acidity and salt added to brighten the flavors.

To make 1 cup of mayonnaise you will need:

• 1 cup of light olive oil (less strongly flavored than standard olive oil) or other good-quality oil, like walnut or sweet almond oil
• 1 egg
• Juice of 1 lemon, or vinegar
• A pinch of salt (and pepper, if desired)
• Water to thin the mayonnaise

Many stores sell pasteurized in-the-shell eggs, which you can use if food safety is a concern.

2. Separate the eggs in your recipe. Reserve the whites for other recipes.

3. Egg yolks contain a natural emulsifier, lecithin, which helps thicken sauces and bind ingredients.

• About lecithin
• About emulsifiers

4. Lemon juice or vinegar adds acidity to the mayonnaise. It also helps flavor the mayonnaise, which, incidentally, has quite a low pH, so is inhospitable for bacteria. Mayonnaise is rarely the culprit in food-borne illness cases: it’s much more likely to be the potatoes or pasta in the picnic salads causing problems!

• For each cup of mayonnaise, add between 1 and 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice or vinegar, depending upon your tastes.

5. Combine the egg and acid in the bowl, whisking to mix.

• You can make mayonnaise in a food processor or by hand, with a mixing bowl and whisk.
• The key for either method is to add oil very slowly, in a steady stream, while the processor is running or you’re whisking vigorously.
• (Stabilize a lightweight mixing bowl by setting it on a coiled kitchen towel.)

6. Continue to whisk constantly, adding the oil in a slow, steady stream.

• If the mayonnaise starts looking too thick, add enough water to thin it to the consistency you desire.
• Add about a teaspoon of water at a time.

When the oil is all mixed in, the mayonnaise should be thick and fluffy, with your whisk forming ribbons through the mixture.

• If it never thickened and you’re stirring a puddle, chances are you will need to start over. (Or, if you’re still partway through the process, you can save the emulsion by adding another egg yolk, whisking vigorously. Add in remaining oil, plus extra for a double recipe.)

Adjust the seasoning with the salt and pepper and more acid, if desired.

7. Use homemade mayonnaise on sandwiches, in dips, or in any recipes requiring mayonnaise. Dress it up with garlic for an aioli, or herbs and olives for a remoulade sauce.

Store fresh mayonnaise in the refrigerator and use within five days.