Agave Syrup / Nectar - Not a good sweetener choice
What is it?
Produced from the agave plant (a succulent), agave syrup is slightly runnier than honey and a dark or light amber color. Quality syrup is made from sap from the core of the agave plant, however, most commercial agave syrup is made from inulin and starch extracted from its giant root ball. The starchy extract is filtered, heated, hydrolized (often with GMO enzymes) to convert most of the carbohydrate into essentially “fructose syrup”. The process may use caustic acids, clarifiers and filtration chemicals.
Portrayed as a healthy sweetener choice - but it isn't
Agave syrup is highly refined and contains a disproportionate, unhealthy amount of fructose – up to 92%!
Fructose consumed to excess has been shown to have several detrimental effects on health.
- Fructose makes fat faster than glucose
“Our study shows for the first time the surprising speed with which humans make body fat from fructose. Once you start the process of fat synthesis from fructose, it’s hard to slow it down. The bottom line of this study is that fructose very quickly gets made into fat in the body.”
– Dr. Elizabeth Parks, associate professor of clinical nutrition,UT Southwestern Medical Center
Author of a fructose study reported in the Journal of Nutrition (2008).
- Causative factor in heart disease. When consumed in excessive amounts, according to study reports.
Too Much Fructose – Burdens Liver / Increases Inflammation / Favors fat production
- Sugar content is harmful to teeth
Agave has been delisted and banned by the Glycemic Research Institute of Washington DC because serious side effects were observed in clinical trials.
| Name | Calories / Gram | Sweetness Index | Glycemic Index | Calories / Spoon-Equiv | Taste | Aftertaste |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agave Syrup | 4 | 1.5 | 15 | 10 | Good | No |
