How can the same plant that gives you tequila be good for you in other ways than a couple of shots with friends?? Well it also produces..........Agave Nectar
Have you heard of agave? I’m assuming if you have it is because you know it is the plant from which tequila is made from! However what I am about to tell you is a lot more interesting then how tequila is made, although I’m not saying tequila isn’t exciting! Anyways, Agave nectar is most often produced from the Blue Agaves (plant) that thrive in the volcanic soils of Southern Mexico. Agaves are large, spiky plants that resembles a cactus. The taste of agave nectar is comparable, though not identical, to honey. The main reason I am writing about this product is because I feel that in today's society we are consuming way too many artificial sweeteners! Who knows what implications they are going to have on us years to come? Sure they seem great now, I mean zero calorie drinks that taste delicious...what's not to love? However, I do NOT think that is a good enough reason to be drowning your body in artificial sweeteners that are surely doing more harm than good, if any! Therefore when I discovered this nectar I fell in love with it because in many regards agave nectar bridges the gap between real and artificial sweeteners. The reason for this is because it is a real sugar, as opposed to an artificial or non-nutritive sweetener. It has properties similar to many sugars with one important exception: its glycemic index is significantly lower. I will explain why this is so beneficial later in the post. This makes it a healthier alternative to white, brown, and mainly artificial sweeteners. Why else should you use this product you ask? Well it is also weight management and diabetic friendly!
Agave nectar's low glycemic index makes it suitable for some individuals on low-carb diet. Granulated sugar (classic white sugar) has an average glycemic index in the high 60's, while agave generally scores under 30. Foods with a glycemic index lower than 55 are considered low glycemic foods. Foods lower on the scale are less likely to trigger the body's mechanisms for fat storage. While it's not a "free" food for indiscriminate consumption, many individuals on a diet or weight maintenance plan find that agave is a healthier substitute for sugar, and that moderate use of agave nectar can help them enjoy foods that otherwise might be off limits.
It is diabetic friendly because diabetics are usually advised to monitor sugar intake in their diet and, like those trying to lose weight, watch the glycemic index of the foods they eat. Agave nectar DOES have calories and carbohydrates that must be taken into consideration, and responses to sweeteners vary from one individual to the next. However, because agave has a lower glycemic index than refined sugars, its carbohydrates are less likely to raise the blood sugar quickly.
Therefore it is not so much that this is not a sugar, it is the fact that it has such a low glycemic index. I will be explaining why this is so amazing in a bit.
So how do you use this liquid as a substitute for sugar? Agave nectar is more calorie-dense than brown or white sugar, however it is about 40% sweeter, so the amount of agave can be reduced! It may take some adjustment of recipes to learn how to properly substitute agave nectar for regular white sugar, but it's much easier than using an artificial sweetener to substitute for sugar. Artificial sweeteners provide sweetness, but few of the functional properties of real sugars. Agave provides the same variety of functions (including browning, moisture retention, softening and food preservation) as processed sugars.
The most important feature of this product is the low glycemic index, so pay attention to this section. The glycemic index is a way of measuring the relative impact of foods on blood sugar levels. Foods with a high glycemic index have carbohydrates that the body can quickly convert to sugar, which makes them more likely to cause a quick rise in blood sugar.
To determine the glycemic index of a food, human subjects are given a portion of a single food and their blood sugar is tested at intervals. The resulting response curve is compared to a control substance (either glucose or white bread) and assigned a numerical value. Glucose (or white bread) is given an arbitrary rating of 100, and all other foods are measured relative to that. Foods that rate above 100 are foods whose carbohydrates digest very quickly and are likely to raise the blood sugar immediately, while those with an index lower than 100 have less impact on the blood sugar.
Foods with few to no carbohydrates, like meats, cheeses and fats, will likely result in a glycemic index close to zero. The fewer easily-digested sugars and starches a food contains, the less likely it is to create a spike in blood sugar. Dietary fiber, while classified as a carbohydrate, passes through the system undigested, so it has no impact on blood sugar. In fact, fiber works to help slow the absorption of digestible carbohydrates.
Like the glycemic index, the glycemic load of a food is used to characterize its potential effect on blood sugar. A food may have a high glycemic index, meaning the carbohydrate it contains will quickly convert to sugar, but if that food does not contain much carbohydrate per average serving, there will not be much impact on the blood sugar.
To calculate the glycemic load of a food, multiply its glycemic index by the number of digestible (non-fiber) carbohydrates in a single serving, then divide by 100. That number may be interpreted as follows:
20 and above = high glycemic load
10 to 19 = medium glycemic load
less than 10 = low glycemic load
Here is an example (look how amazing agave nectar compares!!)
Agave nectar's low glycemic index makes it suitable for some individuals on low-carb diet. Granulated sugar (classic white sugar) has an average glycemic index in the high 60's, while agave generally scores under 30. Foods with a glycemic index lower than 55 are considered low glycemic foods. Foods lower on the scale are less likely to trigger the body's mechanisms for fat storage. While it's not a "free" food for indiscriminate consumption, many individuals on a diet or weight maintenance plan find that agave is a healthier substitute for sugar, and that moderate use of agave nectar can help them enjoy foods that otherwise might be off limits.
It is diabetic friendly because diabetics are usually advised to monitor sugar intake in their diet and, like those trying to lose weight, watch the glycemic index of the foods they eat. Agave nectar DOES have calories and carbohydrates that must be taken into consideration, and responses to sweeteners vary from one individual to the next. However, because agave has a lower glycemic index than refined sugars, its carbohydrates are less likely to raise the blood sugar quickly.
Therefore it is not so much that this is not a sugar, it is the fact that it has such a low glycemic index. I will be explaining why this is so amazing in a bit.
So how do you use this liquid as a substitute for sugar? Agave nectar is more calorie-dense than brown or white sugar, however it is about 40% sweeter, so the amount of agave can be reduced! It may take some adjustment of recipes to learn how to properly substitute agave nectar for regular white sugar, but it's much easier than using an artificial sweetener to substitute for sugar. Artificial sweeteners provide sweetness, but few of the functional properties of real sugars. Agave provides the same variety of functions (including browning, moisture retention, softening and food preservation) as processed sugars.
The most important feature of this product is the low glycemic index, so pay attention to this section. The glycemic index is a way of measuring the relative impact of foods on blood sugar levels. Foods with a high glycemic index have carbohydrates that the body can quickly convert to sugar, which makes them more likely to cause a quick rise in blood sugar.
To determine the glycemic index of a food, human subjects are given a portion of a single food and their blood sugar is tested at intervals. The resulting response curve is compared to a control substance (either glucose or white bread) and assigned a numerical value. Glucose (or white bread) is given an arbitrary rating of 100, and all other foods are measured relative to that. Foods that rate above 100 are foods whose carbohydrates digest very quickly and are likely to raise the blood sugar immediately, while those with an index lower than 100 have less impact on the blood sugar.
Foods with few to no carbohydrates, like meats, cheeses and fats, will likely result in a glycemic index close to zero. The fewer easily-digested sugars and starches a food contains, the less likely it is to create a spike in blood sugar. Dietary fiber, while classified as a carbohydrate, passes through the system undigested, so it has no impact on blood sugar. In fact, fiber works to help slow the absorption of digestible carbohydrates.
Like the glycemic index, the glycemic load of a food is used to characterize its potential effect on blood sugar. A food may have a high glycemic index, meaning the carbohydrate it contains will quickly convert to sugar, but if that food does not contain much carbohydrate per average serving, there will not be much impact on the blood sugar.
To calculate the glycemic load of a food, multiply its glycemic index by the number of digestible (non-fiber) carbohydrates in a single serving, then divide by 100. That number may be interpreted as follows:
20 and above = high glycemic load
10 to 19 = medium glycemic load
less than 10 = low glycemic load
Here is an example (look how amazing agave nectar compares!!)
| food | carbohydrates | x | glycemic index | ÷ | 100 | = | glycemic load |
| 12 oz. regular cola: | 40.5 | x | 90 | ÷ | 100 | = | 36.4 |
| fresh apple (medium) | 21 | x | 54 | ÷ | 100 | = | 11.3 |
| 2 Tbsp. agave nectar | 32 | x | 30 | ÷ | 100 | = | 9.6 |
So even though the apple has fewer carbohydrates, the glycemic load of the agave nectar is actually lower!
Proving my point quite clearly, Agave Nectar is truly a LOW glycemic SUGAR...nothing artificial about it!
Buy a bottle of this Agave Nectar today from your local health store and start substituting it in your life any time you would use sugar! I personally like to put some on my oatmeal in the morning, or even my afternoon tea. Enjoy :)
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