# Agave Nectar



## redkitty (Apr 5, 2007)

Anyone tried this in recipes?  I've heard about it before but never tried it, since reading some vegan/veggie blogs I've been seeing it as a sugar replacement in baking etc.

"Agave Nectar is a wonderful healthy alternative to sugar and sweeteners in all kinds of recipes.  As a general guide ¼- ½ cup of Groovy Food Agave Nectar can be substituted for 1 cup of sugar in recipes, the only difference is you may have to reduce your liquid slightly in recipes.  (As a rough weight guide this works out as 90g – 170g Agave Nectar to 200g caster sugar).  It is a great alternative to sugar especially for children, for people on a low GI diet or wanting to stabilize their blood sugar levels and including people with diabetes (Type II) or insulin resistance. "  I found this company, Groovy Food that sells it here in the UK.  

Agave syrup - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thoughts?


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## Andy M. (Apr 5, 2007)

If people start using this stuff in cooking, it will create a shortage and drive up the cost of tequila!


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## jpmcgrew (Apr 5, 2007)

I think it could be a good alternative for people who are allergic or get migraines from honey its sweet but doesnt give you that honey flavor


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## Michael in FtW (Apr 5, 2007)

I _*LOVE*_ marketing information! 

_*Agave Nectar is a wonderful healthy alternative to sugar and sweeteners in all kinds of recipes.*_

Agave Nectar is a replacement for _table_ sugar (sucrose) - but it is still sugar (glucose and fructose). It is *NOT* a non-sugar sweetener.

*As a general guide ¼- ½ cup of Groovy Food Agave Nectar can be substituted for 1 cup of sugar in recipes ...*

That is true ... fructose is much sweeter than sucrose so it takes less to achieve the same level of sweetness.

*It is a great alternative to sugar especially for children, for people on a low GI diet or wanting to stabilize their blood sugar levels and including people with diabetes (Type II) or insulin resistance.*

Again, this is when compared to table sugar (sucrose) when they say "sugar". You are not eliminating sugar - you are just replacing one kind with another.

Now, the rest is true! On the Glycemic Index (GI) everything is compared to the amount that glucose elevates the blood sugar level - this is set at 100. The starch in things like potatoes and rice (which is actually just long chains of glucose molecules strung together) hits the GI at 95. Just below that at 90 is Honey and sucrose (table sugar). Just for grins - a banana hits the GI scale at 60. Fructose, which is not directly absorbed but metabolized in the liver before it can be used, is only 20 on the GI! GI values stated here are from _On Food and Cooking - The Science and Lore of the Kitchen_ (revised edition) page 659 - by Harold McGee

Here's how this works: Since fructose is twice as sweet tasting as glucose, you need less of it to achieve the same degree of sweetness. This is good because it means you are consuming both less sugar as well as less calories - and it has less immediate impact on the glucose level - and thus a longer lasting supply of energy without the initial "sugar rush", and it reduces the amount of sugar the insulin system must deal with at one time.

Now, here is the kicker - it's basically the same thing as High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) that some people want to paint as being an evil thing, in spite of the facts that it is better and safer for diabetics, children, or when you need a long sustained source of energy. It's just from a different plant - the agave instead of corn ... or in other words, it's basically High Fructose Agave Syrup (HFAS).

I think it's worth exploring!

And, those are my thoughts ...


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## Andy M. (Apr 5, 2007)

Very interesting Michael.  Thanks!


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## redkitty (Apr 6, 2007)

Thanks for the replies!  I'm gonna buy some tomorrow and give it a try.


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## Uncle Bob (Apr 6, 2007)

Interesting reading...I thought Agave "Necture" was Tequila


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## redkitty (May 12, 2007)

Well, I finally bought some at Fresh & Wild yesterday and tried it in my coffee this morning.  It is good, you don't need as much as you would sugar.  I would also use it instead of honey, which I don't use often but sometimes in recipes.

Anyhow, it's tasty and I also read this... regular table sugar has a GI value of 68, honey has a value of 55 and Agave Nectar is between 11-19!


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## Andy M. (May 12, 2007)

If your body doesn't have a problem with table sugar, I see no reason to use this stuff.


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## redkitty (May 12, 2007)

Andy M. said:
			
		

> If your body doesn't have a problem with table sugar, I see no reason to use this stuff.



Well thanks for that Andy.


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## Andy M. (May 12, 2007)

redkitty, that wasn't meant as a slam to you.  What I was trying to say was that, according to the info in Michael's post, there did not appear to be any specific benefit to using the agave nectar over table sugar unless you were diabetic.  

I apologize if I offended.


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## redkitty (May 12, 2007)

Thanks for that Andy, I can be a bit sensitive!


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## kadesma (May 12, 2007)

_For a diabetic sugar is sugar, a carb and it will raise your blood glucose level. If you want to try it, you should check with your endo first. Then, your do a trial run with a small amount and test yourself an hour after..See what your blood glucose is.If over 180, your going to need to cut the amount. Then check again in an other hour and see if you are down to 140, if so you can maybe tolerate a small amount If still over 140 a lesser amount is called for or  something like Splenda...Just have to remember, your body is insulin resistant and carbs need to be in small amounts.._

_kadesma_


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