Agave Nectar – Good or Bad?
March 7, 2010
Back in August of 2009 my family embarked on a natural healing cleanse. One of the major changes we made was eliminating all sweeteners from our diet because we all had an overgrowth of candida, and “sugar” feeds yeast. The one sweetener we were permitted was Agave Nectar. It’s “natural”, it’s raw and organic, it has a low GI index and doesn’t affect your blood sugar/insulin levels like other sweeteners, and it doesn’t feed yeast. And it tastes amazing!
I started cooking with it all the time and adapting recipes to be “sugar free” by replacing the sweeteners with agave nectar. I made everything from ketchup to chocolate cake with this amazing sweetener.
But now there’s some new controversial information surfacing about Agave Nectar, and I would be remiss in not addressing it. A friend of mine, Elayne, brought this article to my attention, and I have quoted the part that had most to do with agave nectar, but the entire article is worth reading in detail.
In spite of manufacturers’ claims, 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.34
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.35 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. 36 (One agave manufacturer claims that his product is made with “natural” enzymes.) That’s right, the refined fructose in agave nectar is much more concentrated than the fructose in HFCS. For comparison, the high fructose corn syrup used in sodas is 55 percent refined fructose. (A natural agave product does exist in Mexico, a molasses type of syrup from concentrated plant nectar, but availability is limited and it is expensive to produce.)
According to Bianchi, agave “nectar” and HFCS “are indeed made the same way, using a highly chemical process with genetically modified enzymes. They are also using caustic acids, clarifiers, filtration chemicals and so forth in the conversion of agave starches.” The result is a high level of highly refined fructose in the remaining syrup, along with some remaining inulin.
In a confidential FDA letter, Dr. Martin Stutsman of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Labeling Enforcement, explains the FDA’s food labeling laws related to agave nectar: “Corn syrup treated with enzymes to enhance the fructose levels is to be labeled ‘High Fructose Corn Syrup.’” According to Mr. Stutsman, agave requires the label “hydrolyzed inulin syrup.”37 Even though, like corn, agave is a starch and fiber food processed with enzymes, it does not require the label “High Fructose Agave Syrup.” Agave “nectar” is a misnomer; at the very least, it should be labeled “agave syrup.”
Agave syrup comes in two colors: clear or light, and amber. What is this difference? Mr. Bianchi explains: “Due to poor quality control in the agave processing plants in Mexico, sometimes the fructose gets burned after being heated above 140 degrees Fahrenheit, thus creating a darker, or amber color.” However, the labels create the impression of an artisan product—like light or amber beer. As consumers are learning about problems with agave syrup, the label “chicory syrup” is beginning to appear as a non-conforming word for the product. Consumer beware! (Source: Weston A Price Foundation)
What about the low glycemic index? Isn’t that a good thing? What about reports that it is causing liver damage?
The Truth About Agave Syrup: Not as Healthy as You May Think (Living and Raw Foods)
Debunking the Agave Myth (That’s Fit)
And finally, a less alarmist viewpoint on the Agave Nectar debate:
Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Agave Nectar: Which Should You Choose? (VegFamily)
I want people to be able to draw their own conclusions, but here’s my personal take: it makes the most sense to stick with sweetener sources as close to their original state as possible, the same way I choose other foods – whole and unprocessed, natural and local. Local honey. Organic pure maple syrup. Unrefined cane sugar. And of course, use moderation in all choices. Will I still buy agave nectar? Not likely, unless I’m doing a candida cleanse, in which I did find it most helpful.
