ARTICLE 1
Harvesting the Sap
When an agave plant is about seven to ten years old, the leaves are removed to expose the core, or pina, of the plant. The harvested pina looks like a large pineapple and can weigh anywhere from 50 to 150 pounds.
Sap is removed from the pina, filtered, and heated to break down the carbohydrates into sugars.
The same agave plant produces all three varieties of commercially sold syrup, depend ing on the amount of heat used in processing. These varieties include:
* raw (color is similar to maple syrup and flavor is similar to caramel)
* light (lighter color and flavor than raw)
* amber (similar in color and flavor to raw)
Many varieties of agave nectar are processed at relatively low temperatures (below 118°F) and are marketed as a “raw” food.
When the agave sap is heated, the complex fructosans are hydrolyzed, or broken into their constituent fructose units. The fructose-rich solution is then filtered to obtain the desired products that range from dark syrup with a characteristic vanilla aroma, to a light amber liquid with more neutral characteristics.
The Myth of Agave as a “Healthy” Sugar Substitute
* Agave syrup is neither a natural food nor organic
Fully chemically processed sap from the agave plant is known as hydrolyzed high fructose inulin syrup. It needs to be hydrolyzed so that the complex fructosans are "broken down" into fructose units or it won't be sweet!
According to Dr. Ingrid Kohlstadt, a fellow of the American College of Nutrition and an associate faculty member at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health:
“[Agave is] almost all fructose, highly processed sugar with great marketing.”
* Agave syrup is not low calorie.
Agave syrup is about 16 calories per teaspoon, the same as table sugar.
* Agave syrup may not have a low glycemic index.
Depending upon where the agave comes from and the amount of heat used to proc ess it, your agave syrup can be anywhere from 55 percent to 90 percent fructose, whereas sugar and honey are closer to 50% fructose and 50% glucose. Fructose is much sweeter than glucose, and this chemical makeup also explains why the glycemic index is lower (it only takes glucose into account).
This range of fructose content hardly makes agave syrup a logical choice if you’re hoping to avoid the high levels of fructose in HFCS (high fructose corn syrup).
And if you’re diabetic, you should know that the alleged benefit of agave for diabetics is purely speculative. Very few agave studies have been docu mented, and most involved rats. There have been no clinical studies done on its safety for diabetics.
Since most agave syrup has such a high percentage of fructose, your blood sugar will likely spike just as it would if you were consuming regular sugar or HFCS, and you would also run the risk of raising your triglyceride levels. It’s also important to understand that whereas the glucose in other sugars are converted to blood glucose, fructose is a relatively unregulated source of fuel that your liver converts to fat and cholesterol.
A significant danger here is that fructose does not stimulate your insulin secretion, nor enhance leptin production, which is thought to be involved in appetite regulation. Lately there has been some buzz swirling around agave nectar and whether the sweet cactus-nectar is good for our bodies or not. I want to help my readers be aware of the increasing number of fraudulent, poor-quality “agave” products being sold in common supermarkets around the country.
ARTICLE 2
The following article will educate you on fraudulent high-fructose agave nectar and its negative health consequences, as well as the benefits of using true organic agave nectar as a sweetener.
The Downside of High-Fructose Agave Nectar
Recent claims regarding agave nectar urge us to be aware of the type of agave we are purchasing. Many brands sold in the supermarket, claiming to be organic, are nothing more than refined fructose. Common forms of retail-refined agave syrup sold in supermarkets do not tell consumers what has been done to the syrup in the laboratory.
While the label may claim that the agave is “organic and all-natural,” the label does not explain that the syrup has gone through an extensive process of chemical refining which changes the enzymatic structure of the syrup, converting it into a man-made chemical fructose.
Herein lies the main concern surrounding the nectar that many well-known nutritionists are recommending as a healthier sugar-substitute. There is a direct link between man-made chemical fructose and deadly degenerative diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
Agave Plant
source
Critics also note that once consumed, refined fructose is turned into triglyceride, which is essentially stored as body fat. And while high fructose agave syrup does not cause the extreme spikes in blood sugar levels like common white sugar, it does have possible associations to a spectrum of health-depleting conditions such as:
* Depletion of the body’s minerals
* Inflammation of the liver
* Hardening of the arteries
* Tendency towards insulin resistance, a predecessor to diabetes
* Heart disease
* Weight gain, and even obesity
* Toxic effects is pregnant women
Of course, these conditions can vary in different people, so be sure to do the proper research on the type of agave nectar you are using.
In a recent article on NaturalNews.com, author Rami Nagel, states that fake forms of refined-fructose agave.
His words on Agave & Refined Fructose:
“lacks amino acids, vitamins, minerals, pectin, and fiber. As a result, the body doesn’t recognize refined fructose. Refined fructose is processed in the body through the liver, rather than digested in the intestine. Refined fructose robs the body of many micronutrient treasures in order to assimilate itself for physiological use. While naturally occurring fruit sugars contain levulose bound to other sugars, high fructose corn syrup contains “free” (unbound), chemically refined fructose. Research indicates that free refined fructose interferes with the heart’s use of key minerals like magnesium, copper and chromium.” [1]
The Upside: Agave Nectar is Not Made Equally
Natural agave has been harvested traditionally in Mexico for hundreds of years. Ranking fairly low on the glycemic load scale, a small amount of the nectar provides a larger amount of sweetness than common sugar, and thus, a little goes a long way.
The agave plant also contains saponins and fructans, phytochemicals associated with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting capabilities. (Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 1996; 52:175-7).
One of these fructans is known as inulin, a natural plant sweetener with an extremely low impact on blood sugar and cholesterol levels. The ancient Aztecs even used the nectar as a healing salve for wounds. What is more, compounds derived from blue agave have been studied for their potential utility for treating colon diseases like ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease. Agave also holds high amounts of protein-building amino acids and alkaloids (Plant Foods Hum Nutr 2007; 62:133-8). Research indicates that minimally-processed agave does provide nutrients to the human body, and may even prevent chronic disease (Nutr Rev 2004; 62: 439-42).
It is also important to mention that not all agave products are created equal, and the dangerous high-fructose content cited by critics is not typical in all agave products. Roger Clemens, a professor at USC, has stated that: “Depending on how the syrup is processed, it may or may not contain more fructose.”
My Favorite Brand of Agave Nectar
Madhava Agave Nectar
What is important to determine when purchasing agave nectar is whether the sweetener comes from a trusted source. My personal favorite, that I use quite frequently, is Madhava Agave Nectar.
Madhava offers extremely high-quality, all-natural, 100% organic agave nectar, made by minimal processing. There are no chemicals used in the production of Madhava’s agave nectar from agave salmiana, and it is not cooked. Madhava agave is produced using only low temperatures during the evaporation of excess water from the juice. Used in moderate amounts, this low-glycemic sweetener is an excellent choice over white sugar and artificial sweeteners.
When choosing agave nectar be sure to contact the company to make sure they are not using chemicals in the processing techniques. Also, I recommend that you make sure it is organic.
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