Agave nectar

[cielazul]

What say ye?

[lakeheron]

Use it wherever honey is called for. We smoke our salmon using it instead of other sweeteners.

[lakeheron]

Hey, google "agave recipes." There are tons of sites. E.g., look here: http://www.globalgoods.com/agaverecipes.html

[More Liana]

If you need to limit sugar and other carbohydrates, be really careful with agave nectar (aka agave syrup). It has 16 carbohydrates in every teaspoonful. Yes, these carbohydrates are fructose rather than glucose and are metabolized differently from glucose, but if you have diabetes, agave nectar is probably not a good choice. Your blood glucose will spike.

[cielazul]

If you need to limit sugar and other carbohydrates, be really careful with agave nectar (aka agave syrup). It has 16 carbohydrates in every teaspoonful. Yes, these carbohydrates are fructose rather than glucose and are metabolized differently from glucose, but if you have diabetes, agave nectar is probably not a good choice. Your blood glucose will spike.

Thank you! Two really good, informative posts. Cielo.

[lakeheron]

If you need to limit sugar and other carbohydrates, be really careful with agave nectar (aka agave syrup). It has 16 carbohydrates in every teaspoonful. Yes, these carbohydrates are fructose rather than glucose and are metabolized differently from glucose, but if you have diabetes, agave nectar is probably not a good choice. Your blood glucose will spike.

I have always thought that agave was fairly low on the glycemic index and therefore better for diabetics. What do you think of this info, More Liana? \

http://www.allaboutagave.com/agave-vs-liquid.php

Further info appreciated.

[happymanmx]

Use it wherever honey is called for. We smoke our salmon using it instead of other sweeteners.

Where I come from that is call lox. Do you sell your extra and where do you buy the

fish?

[Mad_Max]

I have always thought that agave was fairly low on the glycemic index and therefore better for diabetics. What do you think of this info, More Liana? \

http://www.allabouta...e-vs-liquid.php

Further info appreciated.

That website is trying to promote agave. When in doubt for questions like this, I usually check the Mayo Clinic Website - as I assume they are reasonably credible and they seem to have a lot of information about health topics.

To search - I usually ask the abbreviated question - and add mayo clinic -

eg "agave versus sugar mayo clinic"

Here is their response - http://www.mayoclini...NSECTIONGROUP=2

Diabetes.

Natural sweeteners can raise your blood sugar, just as table sugar can. Some proponents of agave nectar, also called agave syrup, say that it's a low-glycemic sweetener and doesn't cause blood sugar spikes. However, scientific evidence doesn't support such claims about agave nectar. Agave nectar can trigger a need for insulin.

[lakeheron]

That website is trying to promote agave. When in doubt for questions like this, I usually check the Mayo Clinic Website - as I assume they are reasonably creditable and they seem to have a lot of information about health topics.

To search - I usually ask the abbreviated question - and add mayo clinic -

eg "agave versus sugar mayo clinic"

Here is their response - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073/NSECTIONGROUP=2

Diabetes.

Natural sweeteners can raise your blood sugar, just as table sugar can. Some proponents of agave nectar, also called agave syrup, say that it's a low-glycemic sweetener and doesn't cause blood sugar spikes. However, scientific evidence doesn't support such claims about agave nectar. Agave nectar can trigger a need for insulin.

Good info, MM. Thanks.

[More Liana]

That website is trying to promote agave. When in doubt for questions like this, I usually check the Mayo Clinic Website - as I assume they are reasonably credible and they seem to have a lot of information about health topics.

To search - I usually ask the abbreviated question - and add mayo clinic -

eg "agave versus sugar mayo clinic"

Here is their response - http://www.mayoclini...NSECTIONGROUP=2

Diabetes.

Natural sweeteners can raise your blood sugar, just as table sugar can. Some proponents of agave nectar, also called agave syrup, say that it's a low-glycemic sweetener and doesn't cause blood sugar spikes. However, scientific evidence doesn't support such claims about agave nectar. Agave nectar can trigger a need for insulin.

Max, thanks for doing the research. I'm out of town and just this minute saw the question. Appreciate your answer.

[Kevin K]

At the risk of information overload, this lengthy post from the Weston Price Foundation is the most comprehensive one I've found on Agave Nectar:

Agave Nectar Worse Than We Thought

In a nutshell this is a very recent (1990's) "better living through chemistry" product that is promoted as though everyone from the Maya on down had been using it. There is no free lunch with sugar or sugar substitutes, unfortunately.

[lakeheron]

At the risk of information overload, this lengthy post from the Weston Price Foundation is the most comprehensive one I've found on Agave Nectar:

Agave Nectar Worse Than We Thought

In a nutshell this is a very recent (1990's) "better living through chemistry" product that is promoted as though everyone from the Maya on down had been using it. There is no free lunch with sugar or sugar substitutes, unfortunately.

Fascinating and important article. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

[More Liana]

At the risk of information overload, this lengthy post from the Weston Price Foundation is the most comprehensive one I've found on Agave Nectar:

Agave Nectar Worse Than We Thought

In a nutshell this is a very recent (1990's) "better living through chemistry" product that is promoted as though everyone from the Maya on down had been using it. There is no free lunch with sugar or sugar substitutes, unfortunately.

Excellent rundown on both HFCS and the so-called 'agave nectar'. Thanks for posting.