Agave Nectar is Nowhere Near the Nectar of the Gods

Wellness Wednesday

These days the natural food industry is abuzz with agave nectar as the new go-to sweetener.   It sounds perfect, as natural as maple syrup, conjuring up images of pure, wholesome nectar dripping right from the agave plant into your scrumptious granola bar or cereal.  But ooohhh, it’s not!   Agave nectar is more processed than high fructose corn syrup. Real agave nectar is called miel de agave but nearly impossible to find in the US.  The “natural” agave nectar sold in our health food stores is a very different creation all together.  Authors Ramiel Nagel and Sally Fallon Morell wrote an article explaining this further.

Agave “nectar” is not made from the sap of the yucca or agave plant but from the starch of the giant pineapple-like, root bulb. The principal constituent of the agave root is starch, similar to the starch in corn or rice, and a complex carbohydrate called inulin, which is made up of chains of fructose molecules.Technically a highly indigestible fiber, inulin, which does not taste sweet, comprises about half of the carbohydrate content of agave.

The process by which agave glucose and inulin are converted into “nectar” is similar to the process by which corn starch is converted into HFCS. The agave starch is subject to an enzymatic and chemical process that converts the starch into a fructose-rich syrup—anywhere from 70 percent fructose and higher according to the agave nectar chemical profiles posted on agave nectar websites.

The full article can be found here.

So, bottom-line, avoid agave nectar.  A good alternative is real sugar, stevia, or maple syrup.

More information (including the quote above) can also be found at this really, informative post on FoodRenegade.com  http://www.foodrenegade.com/agave-nectar-good-or-bad/

Technotini Pairing:  Wine for Days of Wine and Wellness

Port II by Graystone Vineyards

In honor of true all-natural sweeteners, I’ve chosen this award-winning port.  Its bold, sweet flavor is a true nectar of the gods.

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HI! I’m a Shana, self-proclaimed Media Mixologist, wife, and mom to two little girls. I love to mix up cocktails of crafts, recipes, wellness, family and business with just the right amount of sparkle to help you shine everyday. So, grab a glass, and let’s celebrate the cocktail of life!