Agave syrup

I notice they have this in Tesco  now and I know it can be used instead of sugar. I don't know what the benefits of that are though, does anyone know? Or how to use it, eg can it be used in baking?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agave_syrup

There are a few conversions there for baking... sounds interesting!

It doesn't raise your blood sugar levels like honey or cane sugar will, so it's good for people following a low GI lifestyle.

I've used it in baking, never straight in my coffee but it says on the label you can use it straight.

I use it, haven't used it for baking yet.  I bought it from this company,

http://www.groovyfood.co.uk/thingswemake/agavenectar.html

Some good info about it here http://www.shakeoffthesugar.net/article1042.html

"Agave syrup (or nectar) is about 90% fructose. Only recently has it come in use as a sweetener. It has a low glycemic level and is a delicious and safe alternative to table sugar. Unlike the crystalline form of fructose, which is refined primarily from corn, agave syrup is fructose in its natural form. This nectar does not contain processing chemicals. Even better, because fructose is sweeter than table sugar, less is needed in your recipes. It can be most useful for people who are diabetic, have insulin resistance (Syndrome X), or are simply watching their carbohydrate intake"

I like the taste, have tried it in coffee and tea so far. 

I'll have to tell my friend about this. Her partner is diabetic and they are struggling with baking and such.

Just be a bit careful with it as some people can be sensitive to large amounts of fructose.

I'll have to tell my friend about this. Her partner is diabetic and they are struggling with baking and such.

That's what I was thinking! Is it OK for diabetics??

That's what I was thinking! Is it OK for diabetics??

According to Jennred's post it is.

According to Jennred's post it is.

But fructose isn't good for diabetics, is it?   

I think it's a question of moderation in general and also that you need smaller amounts of this compared to other sugars/sweeteners?

I posted months ago about Agave Nectar on a cooking forum I belong to, this was a reply from a nutritionist who posts there as well...


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 couldn't find agave syrup at Sainsbury's, so I bought the crystalline fructose (called fruit sugar) instead. I'm back to a low GI diet. I did this before and it really worked. Moving to England I feel off the wagon (d@mn sandwiches!), but I'm making a concerted effort to eat like I did in the US. I've been doing it less than a week and I can already tell the difference in my energy level. Anyway, I just used it in my coffee and I really liked it! It didn't taste different from sugar at all. I hate artificial sweetners, so I'm really pleased to have found something that will work with my diet. Just for future reference, does agave syrup taste different? Or is it relatively tasteless, just sweet?

There's no comparison between HFCS and agave syrup if you're thinking whole foods. The glycemic index thing I know very little about, but if you are interested in eating whole foods rather than processed ones, agave syrup is superior to HCFS by a long shot. Some agave nectars are boiled at roughly 140-160 degrees F to increase fructose and/or product clarity, but raw agave nectars are available and they are 100% whole and unprocessed. High fructose corn syrup on the other hand is entirely manmade. Here's an article that drescribes the process.

http://www.westonaprice.org/motherlinda/cornsyrup.html

For me, there's no comparison--the sap of a succulent plant or something a Japanese chemist invented in a lab? Let me think.

Saying that, though, I very rarely use my agave nectar. This morning I had a bit on quinoa porridge, but that's a rare occasion. We should steer clear of sweeteners altogether and sensitize our taste buds to sweetness once again, I think.