As for agave syrup being made from starch or the root of the plant, you need to check the facts. It was never made from the roots of Agave and there is no starch to make it from. Nor is it made with caustic acids. Just because the article at the Weston A Price Foundation makes various claims about agave syrup does mean they are accurate. A further myth is that the syrups are not made from the sap.
In fact, they were always made from the sap, which was heated. By heating the fructans in the sap in solution thermally hydrolyzing them , the indigenous people of Mexico produced a sweet syrup. The difference today is that the syrup is filtered and the heat is more controlled.
The traditional syrup is very dark and the flavor overwhelms the taste of foods such that it is not suitable as an general purpose sweetener. Thank you for finally answering this question. I looked this up so many times on the internet only to find all different kinds of answers. This is very informative and backed by research! As a new diabetic, I cannot thank you enough! I called the company because the number is listed on the label.
There are no artificial anythings added and the agave necter is simply boiled down and bottled. Thank you so much for this informative post. I have friends who swear by agave nectar, and living as I do in S.
Thanks to your post I will stick with panela dried unrefined cane juice. Thank you for this. I am so disappointed that agave is bad for you. You explained it clearly. I have been using agave for a few months, and just bought a couple of bottles of it yesterday. The main reason why I switched to agave was to avoid what white sugar does then to find out agave does the same thing! Thanks for the info. Agave is not bad, honey could be worse than agave.
Now, after I get the nectar; How do I make it into Tequilla!!!? Lose balance and regain it as part of the same activity. Oh, and remember the lime, eh? If it is made up mostly of Inulin.
Inulin is good for your body. The good bacteria in our bodes, feed off it. It is truly an informative article revealing some truths of the agave syrup. Specially about the fructose and its digstibility and the assimilation later on. As it is supported by research we need to think twice before using the agave syrup. That was a good article with good information. It has been useful as I have been writing a blog post on alternative sweeteners and had some trouble with agave. Also, you have a quote that is describing the process using digestive enzymes and chemicals, but their page says:.
Our agave is organically grown and sustainably farmed in the Sierra Madres region of Mexico. The heart of the plant is pressed to extract the agave juice. The juice is then filtered to remove any plant debris.
Once filtered, the juice is heated to approximately degrees to achieve the sweet nectar. The nectar is then filtered again to produce the varying flavor profiles. It is difficult to know what to make of the situation, but at the least I can rely on the fact that fructose causes significant health complications and therefore puts agave in the red.
In moderate amounts, fructose has not shown deleterious effects. For those with diabetes, clinical trials have repeatedly found that moderate amounts of fructose improve glycemic control. The problem for diabetics is that they have poor lipid metabolism due a deficiency of insulin.
The American Diabetes Association allows patients to use agave syrup as long as it is regarded as they would regular sugar, as a source of carbohydrates to be consumed in modest amounts. However, for those with already elevated levels, the American Heart Association recommends that the daily intake of fructose is limited to between 50 g and g.
The current mean level of consumption in the U. Does fructose cause insulin resistance in healthy people? Claims that fructose raises uric acid levels are exaggerated. According to a systematic review and meta-analysis of 21 clinical trials of fructose, their levels were not raised unless the intakes were to g on a daily basis as excess calories.
No one is consuming that much. De novo lipogenesis? Such a low rate is not significant. Being a caloric sugar, fructose can of course produce weight gain, if one consumes enough of it. A recent systematic review of 41 clinical studies of fructose showed that with very high daily doses of g to g as excess calories, body weight modestly increased by an average of 1.
In the control group given experimental beverages containing the same amount of glucose, body weight, waist circumference, and fat mass also increased. Subcutaneous fatty tissue increased in the glucose group and abdominal fat and intra-abdominal fat visceral fat increased in the fructose group.
Although signs of insulin resistance were greater in the fructose group, levels of glucose greatly increased in the glucose group.
At 5 times the mean intake of fructose in the U. The results are far from being evidence that lower intakes lead to the same effects and no one is consuming fructose at anywhere close to that level.
Still beyond what people are consuming or that anyone should, in another trial of similar design and caloric intake from the same sugars, healthy men and women were given fructose or glucose in beverages supplying a daily dosage of g. Nectar is a liquid that collects in flowers, but not in the part of the plant used to make the syrup.
By any method, including those of the indigenous people of Mexico and the southwestern U. However, the aguamiel is barely sweet and required boiling to make the syrup. By boiling the sap, the indigenous people removed most of the water content and broke the carbohydrate bonds linking glucose and fructose in the fructans also known as oligofructose and fructoologosaccharides , including the type known as inulin.
Because the carbohydrate chains that compose fructans consist of more fructose than glucose, boiling released them to produce a sweet syrup with fructose predominating and glucose in smaller amounts. Had they filtered the syrup, they would have obtained amber and other colors and a lighter rather than strongly flavored product.
No enzymes were added. Despite a patent for the manufacture of agave syrup in the late s in which enzymes were proposed, they are not required to this day. Even if some may have claimed to or actually bothered to use them, most agave syrups are certified organic, so GMO enzymes could not be used without significant repercussions. More than one type of enzyme is required in the manufacture of high-fructose corn syrup HFCS in addition to other processes, but not agave syrup.
Like regular sugar, HFCS supplies a much higher amount of glucose than agave syrup, which is why either sweetener has a high glycemic value and agave syrup has a low one. Today, as in the past, the stems or heads are harvested by removing the leaves and roots. But they are not being roasted or baked to make the syrup, as they are in the manufacture of tequila or meszcal. Instead, the heads are shredded and sap is obtained by soaking the material in clean water.
After initial filtering to remove plant material, the juice is heated and filtered again and most of the water is evaporated to leave the syrup. As the indigenous people found, heating drives off the water content of the sap and the same is true of maple syrup. The often-cited article posted at the Weston A Price Foundation claiming their use is obviously based on the old patent from the late s which has long since expired and does not mean that the substances it lists are being used.
Contact any number of agave syrup producers or go to Mexico and you will find that the acids and enzymes in the article not employed. What threw the general public, and apparently Dr. Those are simply the respective brand names of diatomaceous earth and activated carbon; the former being used to filter liquids and the latter for purifying water. Even then, filtering the syrup or the sap is performed with membrane filtration, which is basically pushing a liquid through a large screen composed of inert but permeable material.
What about ionic and cationic resins? Rest assured that neither one is getting into the syrup and that they are simply used in water-purification. If they interfered with organic certification, they could not be used. Just my 2 cents. I have a friend that is diabetic and he said that agave tequila lowered his blood sugar. In my first test, my sugar had dropped points in 3 hours after taking 2 shots 1 hour apart.
I am now 24, and I have learned of so many diets and health foods I never knew existed when I was I have come a long ways since the days where I thought buying a loaf of whole wheat bread was healthy to going paleo to having my fear of grains put out by finding you which led me to the Price foundation.
However it was only a few weeks ago I ever even heard of Agave being bad. I have been using it in my baked goods for a few years now, as I too was sucked into thinking it was healthy when I first heard of it. And never did the research to know any different. Anyways, up until now, I never knew why a different health person seemed so condescending of me when I thought I was being a real foodie not using sugar, but agave in my baked goods! Omg I switched to agave a year ago. Going to dump it down the drain.
So I went looking for answers and found this site. In all the scientific talk not one article has produced scientific research where agave has been used and proclaimed horrible for the body because it causes whatever to happen. Why has it slowed the process of tooth decay? Why is it one of two sweeteners that our friend with lymphoma cancer was allowed to have?
Also, a blood type A. He ate a raw good diet for 9 months with only raw honey and raw agave as a sweeteners. He had two large tumors which disappeared within three months. That was over two years ago. Why when I give it to diabetics do they have no issues? Why does it put no fuzz on my teeth as other sweeteners do? After nearly years of using Agave our family of 8 are all still thin. I see it has a lower glycemic index than honey. I see it is certified organic by EcoCertiCo.
The definition of nectar means that there is a particular percentage of the original substance, diluted with something else. Christie Fleetwood went to school with my children so I know her very well. All through school she was an outstanding student. She got her first degree as a pharmacist and practiced for 10 year in traditional AMA medicine. She then went back to college for another 6 years and became a Naturopathic Doctor. She said the agave nector is processed and no better for you than sugar.
But Raw Blue Agave is not processed and is good for you provided you take into account the calories if they matter to you. She never makes statements without researching her answers carefully.
Extremely itchy all over after having only quarter of a teaspoon. We have both tried other brands without ill effect. Be warned this stuff is a scam. I visited the website today having just read your new book Beautiful Babies and wanting to clarify a few inconsistencies. Like the misinformation regarding the soaking of corn grains published in Beautiful Babies, I have to say that the author is not in close enough contact with the traditional preparation techniques still in use today by the average citizen who is properly-informed to make accurate statements about their preparation or healthiness.
I encourage Mrs. Her passionate message is an important one. I hate to see it undermined by regular errors of fact. I was headed to the local cafe for a slice of cheesecake. Having high triglycerides on my last test not usual for me , i better cancel my trip.
Most raw cafes use Agave still, but you have to ask. I should learn to make my own Raw Cheesecake pie with Coconut sugar. This article, like most on the internet does not incorporate critical thinking skills.
Thanks for something, Lincoln. This list does not specify what species of agave or the way it is prepared. If you would, does agave nectar still equal bad? If you want to buy it, just buy the kind you trust. And one other thing. I will not pretend that I am a historian of some sort, but you cannot convince me that in the history of human existence no one cut an agave plant and figured out how to use it as a sweetener.
Think of it as the Mexican version of authentic Canadian maple syrup. So, obviously there is critical thinking required. If the agave you want to buy is processed naturally according to tradition, then buy it! So many people are so quick to jump on a bandwagon. There are some great honest and true rebuttal comments here that I agree with, based on research Atlas.
Oh dear, it appears your source painted all agave sources with the same brush. Both of your questions are answered in the article. It clearly says there is a natural sweetener made from agave here:. I really enjoyed this article. My daughter just had an anaphylactic shock episode that ended up in an ambulance and hospital. Agave syrup was one of the ingredients in a smoothie I made her just prior too.
Certain testing is showing that it is very likely due to the agave syrup. This article shed some light as to why. I am wondering if corn syrup would be recognized similarly in the body?
I have been using agave nectar instead of honey sweetener since January this year, Now 5 months later I have lost 7kg. I am amazed that agave kills my appetite to other types of sugar. Nothing is completely good or bad for you, there should always be a balance, that is the most important.
For those people out there that love agave like I do and would like to loose some weight: I have calculated, for the past 5 months I have been consuming on average 80 grams of agave syrup per day. I have lost 7 kg Yes, you might get a molecule of some other mineral with a true natural source of fructose but the real quantity of those micronutrients is small. Fructose is fructose and it is generally not that good for you in large amounts.
Thanks a million for this article. I have seen a lot of articles pushing agave nectar. This is an eye opener. Thank you for this article. Yesterday I was about to purchase some Agave for the first time, but I hesitated.
I said let me make some research before. After reading your informations and comments of many others, I am convince that I will not use this product. I had just bought a fresh bottle when I saw this post too. Nevertheless, thanks for the post. The rest was highly informative. Back again… frying pan to fire for many..
This is an excellent article; however, when it comes to sugars, if you are a diabetic, many of these natural sugars spike your blood sugar levels. The glycemic index must be taken into consideration. I use stevia, erythritol, and xylitol because all the others raise my blood sugar.
Hi there, thank you so much for the post! It does make sense, there is so much chat going on about the good properties of Agave, but I definitely agree on natural being the best. Thank you so much for your extensive post and all the info on other natural sweeteners! I will be more aware to use them in my recipes. Because too much of anything is bad for you, and another thing, Wikipedia is NOT a reliable source of information.
To that lady to keep posting Wikipedia articles in the comments. I read all the comments and as far as my oppinion goes, I would not have found this site if in fact I was looking to get some info why I had such a reaction to my first use of this product, I learned things about sugars in general thank you all for the time. You gained credibility with this post. I have tried to tell people why agave is bad for you and so many will not believe me and think I am making it up.
Maybe somebody else can answer that for me. What about certified organic blue agave? I ejplored their website and it seems to be a good product for me. Because it is sweeter much less is used. I am a diabetic with a leaky gut and one of my allergies is sugar. Certified organic agave is my only option. Please respond as soon as possible! I still wonder. I have agave from Global Goods called Volcanic Nectar.
The purest agave. No sucrose table sugar , no maltose corn sugar , lowest amount of natural fructose, lowest glycemic index tested with diabetes. I wonder how it compares to the products that are boiled or processed in other ways. I am surprised that you consume coconut sugar. In researching the pros and cons of this product, I have come to the conclusion that coconut sugar is bad, primarily because of how it is obtained.
In the production of coconut sugar the tree is prevented from producing coconuts, and therefore coconut oil. Please read up on how this product is produced and make up your own mind as to whether it is a sustainable product or not. Personally, I stick with traditional sweeteners. I too am diabetic insulin dependent but find that traditional food is better for a person than all these new products that are not traditional at all.
I just use less of the traditional sweeteners. Thank you for clarifying it once and for all. What about agave crystals? Is the process the same, or by chance a more natural process…? Once in a great while I will buy some raw local honey, maybe once a year.
The bottle I have also states, no artificial sweetners, no artificial colors or flavors, no preservatives, natural sweetner, certified organic by: ecocert ico and usda. Is it because its a product of mexico? Can anything on labels be trusted? Dear Kristen, Thank you for your very informative article on agave nectar. While I was disappointed in the ultimate answer to the original question, I am very happy to have learned the truth before purchasing it based on all the misrepresentation.
I have been using the white stevia powder for several years and it never occurred to me to question why it was such a pure white powder. Please keep up the good work. Glucose is an incredibly important molecule. Whereas every cell in your body can metabolize glucose, your liver is the only organ that can metabolize fructose in significant amounts 9. Consuming excess added fructose can wreak havoc on your metabolic health and may contribute to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes This is because your liver gets overloaded and starts turning the fructose into fat, which raises blood triglycerides.
Many researchers believe that some of this fat can become lodged in your liver and cause fatty liver disease 11 , 12 , This can cause major increases in long-term blood sugar and insulin levels, strongly raising your risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes 14 , It may also cause belly fat accumulation None of this applies to whole fruits, which are loaded with fiber and make you feel full quickly.
Your body is well equipped to handle the small amounts of fructose found in fruit. Because agave syrup is much higher in fructose than plain sugar, it has greater potential to cause adverse health effects, such as increased belly fat and fatty liver disease.
Several natural sweeteners — including stevia , erythritol, and xylitol — are much healthier choices. In fact, agave nectar may be the least healthy sweetener in the world, making regular sugar look healthy in comparison. If you want to sweeten foods or beverages without refined sugar, you may consider nonnutritive sweeteners like stevia and erythritol.
This article…. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame have received a lot of negative publicity. This article examines the facts to determine whether they are good or….
Staying in the metabolic state of ketosis on a low-carb keto diet requires reducing sugar consumption. But certain brands of honey are heated pasteurized to prevent crystallization and to kill bacteria before storage.
Raw honey is all-natural and unprocessed, making it the wiser choice. Agave nectar and honey have about the same number of calories. Both a tablespoon of agave nectar and a tablespoon of honey contain roughly 64 calories. Keep in mind that agave nectar and honey both add these calories to your dish with little extra nutrition. The Glycemic Index GI measures how much a carbohydrate-rich food may raise blood glucose levels. Sugar is a carbohydrate. GI is an especially important tool for people with diabetes, who need to control their blood glucose levels to stay healthy.
Foods with a higher GI can trigger a spike in blood sugar and insulin release after eating. High-GI foods are also digested quickly, which can mean feeling hungry again much sooner. The lower the GI value, the less the food raises your blood glucose.
If you only consider glycemic index, then agave nectar takes the cake. Honey is made mostly out of the sugars glucose about 30 percent and fructose about 40 percent.
It also contains smaller amounts of other sugars, including:. Agave nectar, on the other hand, consists of percent fructose. Although glucose and fructose look very similar, they have completely different effects in the body. Unfortunately, fructose is thought to be linked to many health problems including:. Unlike other types of sugar, fructose is processed by the liver.
Consuming too much fructose at once can overwhelm the liver and cause it to produce dangerous triglycerides. A study gave four groups of participants four different diets to follow: The researchers divided groups following high-carb and low-carb diets into a further group eating only carbs with a high GI ranking and another eating only low-GI carbs. Those following high-GI diets saw a drop in insulin sensitivity and an increase in LDL cholesterol in the group that ate more carbohydrates when compared to the low-GI group.
In the low-carb group, however, the GI ranking of the foods did not make a difference to insulin sensitivity, blood pressure , or many of the risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease apart from reducing triglycerides by a small amount. Triglycerides are fats that store excess calories. They can be harmful in combination with high cholesterol levels. For people already following a diabetes-friendly diet plan, the study found that low-GI foods produced no improvements in cardiovascular risk factors in the blood.
The findings suggest that limiting overall carb intake supports a safe diabetes diet. Agave contains higher levels of fructose than table sugar and most other sweeteners.
The body releases less insulin in response to fructose. This means that blood sugar may remain higher after eating agave than other sugars. A study on mice suggests that agave syrup might be a healthful alternative to table sugar. Mice who consumed agave nectar had lower blood glucose levels compared with mice that consumed table sugar.
They also gained less weight. However, not all data gathered from research on mice applies to humans. The study also only compared agave to table sugar, which is harmful to people with diabetes.
Agave may be marginally better than table sugar for people who have the condition, but it is not necessarily a healthful addition to the diet. More importantly, agave is still a sugar. As with table sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and other sugars, people with diabetes should avoid it.
People who are following a healthful diet to manage diabetes should reduce their sugar intake rather than switching from one type of sugar for another.
For people with diabetes who want to try agave syrup instead of table sugar, there is another reason to avoid changing over. Agave is a higher-calorie sweetener than table sugar. Supporters of agave highlight its enhanced sweetness when compared to table sugar, potentially allowing people to use smaller quantities to achieve the same flavor.
A number of studies have looked at high-fructose sweeteners. Fructose usually produces worse effects than another type of sugar called sucrose, common in table sugar.
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