While driving home the other day, I saw a thought-provoking bumper sticker that read: “God Doesn’t Believe in Atheists.” Although amusing, the slogan would’ve been more accurate had it read: “God Wants to Believe—Even in Atheists.”
—Y. Pritham Raj, Portland, Oregon
The Euro-Asia Division spans 11 time zones across northern Asia. Adventists worship at almost 2,000 churches in this division, which is comprised of 13 countries. In a population of about 280 million it has about 140,000 church members, more than 45 percent of whom live in Ukraine. In Russia the division operates Zaoksky Adventist Seminary, located about 80 miles south of Moscow.
The Adventist Church in Euro-Asia has emerged from years of Communist rule. Beyond church membership growth, the Adventist Church has been able to establish schools, a publishing house, and a media center.
—information gathered from www.adventist.org/world-church
“We are the ‘privileged planet,’ and our message is clear.
From the cradle to the cross, God came here!”
—Pastor Bob Fekete, Wilson, North Carolina, during a recent seasonal sermon
Agave nectar is a sweetener that has gained in popularity in recent years. But where does it fall nutritionally in the list of common sweeteners? It’s about 1.5 times sweeter than sugar and grows from the southwestern U.S. through the northern part of South America.
Most agave sweeteners come from the blue agave plant, but not as raw nectar. It must be highly processed before it can be added to foods and drinks.
Agave has about 60 calories per tablespoon, compared to 40 calories for the same amount of table sugar. To save on calories, less should be used, which is possible because agave is sweeter. In theory, agave is high in fructose and low on the glycemic index, making it a better option than refined sugar. But according to WedMD writer Jenn Horton, there’s not a lot of research backing this, and one of the studies tested lab animals, not people.
According to Horton, the American Diabetes Association lists agave as a sweetener to limit, along with regular sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, and all other sugars. The American Heart Association recommends limiting sweeteners to no more than six teaspoons for women and nine teaspoons for men per day, on average. That includes all sources, whether it’s agave, sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, or anything else (including fruit sources).
—information gathered from www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-truth-about-agave
