Agave syrup, a refined fructose product is being cleverly marketed in the health food industry as a wholesome, natural, low glycemic sweetener. Even the word "nectar" is deceiving, as if it is dripping fresh from flowers or fruit.
Agave nectar, or more accurately refined fructose agave syrup was created in the 1990's using technology devised by corn refiners to chemically convert corn starch to corn syrup, known as high fructose corn syrup, the sweetener that had done much to increase obesity, insulin resistance and increased heart disease and diabetes. The main carbohydrate in agave is starch, which, like corn starch, is chemically converted to highly refined fructose. The sugar that come from fruit is levulose. The word "fructose" is cleverly used by corn refiners to make you think it is a natural fruit sugar.
Fructose is not absorbed like other sugars. It does not go directly into the bloodstream, but instead it goes to the liver where it is converted to triglycerides and fat. "Low glycemic" makes it sound safe. It is anything but safe. High fructose corn syrup is 55% fructose. Agave "nectar" is about 70% fructose.
While refined fructose agave syrup won't spike your blood sugar levels it will deplete minerals, inflame the liver, harden the arteries, cause insulin resistance leading to diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease, and may be toxic for use during pregnancy.
So don't use this unnatural sweetener or "health foods" that contain it. As always read labels so that you can make informed choices about what you are putting into your body.
*Information by Dan and Talitha Butterfield
Agave nectar, or more accurately refined fructose agave syrup was created in the 1990's using technology devised by corn refiners to chemically convert corn starch to corn syrup, known as high fructose corn syrup, the sweetener that had done much to increase obesity, insulin resistance and increased heart disease and diabetes. The main carbohydrate in agave is starch, which, like corn starch, is chemically converted to highly refined fructose. The sugar that come from fruit is levulose. The word "fructose" is cleverly used by corn refiners to make you think it is a natural fruit sugar.
Fructose is not absorbed like other sugars. It does not go directly into the bloodstream, but instead it goes to the liver where it is converted to triglycerides and fat. "Low glycemic" makes it sound safe. It is anything but safe. High fructose corn syrup is 55% fructose. Agave "nectar" is about 70% fructose.
While refined fructose agave syrup won't spike your blood sugar levels it will deplete minerals, inflame the liver, harden the arteries, cause insulin resistance leading to diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease, and may be toxic for use during pregnancy.
So don't use this unnatural sweetener or "health foods" that contain it. As always read labels so that you can make informed choices about what you are putting into your body.
*Information by Dan and Talitha Butterfield
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12 comments:
Great info Carley thanks for keeping us healthy!!!
Hi,
I'm sorry to see that this article repeats a lot of misinformation seen on other web sites.
I work for a small agave company and know first hand how agave syrup is produced.
There are no chemicals of any kind involved in the processing. Also, agave is not a "starch". If you cut open the core of an agave plant, you will see liquid inside. This is agave syrup (or nectar).
It's true that some agave companies add high fructose corn syrup to their agave to cut costs, but there are many reputable companies that do not.
Thank you Tammy for your comments, keep in mind that this article was written with my personal beliefs. It is more about how Agave syrup is processed by our bodies than how or what its derived from. Readers can take or leave what they want and with all things do what you think is right for you and your family. In saying that I still believe agave syrup is not healthy and is not a good option for a sweetener. My family and I will continue in the quest for low insulin responce and shy away from sweeteners of any kind.
Hi Carley,
The natural fructose from agave nectar actually contains trace minerals and up to 5% inulin (prebiotic fiber). Used in moderation, in a balanced diet, the fructose is not converted into fat (unless you are consuming other foods that are taxing your liver or drinking the agave like it's water). Your information that you list about how fructose is digested is from studies on lab-created fructose (pure fructose with no other nutritional elements), and fed in large mega-doses. Fructose from raw agave maintains its mineral-rich characteristics, and the inulin adds more digestive benefits. By the way, while Dr. Mercola is leading the charge against agave because he claims the fructose is bad for us, he is promoting a honey on his site that he admits is 70% fructose. If the fructose is bad for us, why, then does he sell the high fructose honey? Thanks for considering.
Agave nectar is not anything like high fructose corn syrup. HFCS starts from GMO corn, raised using subsidized farming and undergoing a massive chemical refining process to convert corn starch into a mix of fructose and glucose. Contrast that with agave, with is grown organically, requiring 7 - 10 years to mature for each plant, and then each plant is cut from the field by hand - no tractors or machinery. The agave is then heated, filtered, and condensed - minimally processed without the chemicals you mentioned. No one is trying to dupe people with agave nectar - anyone who wants to know where their food comes from can do a quick search to learn all you need to know. If you go to any of the agave companies web sites, they all give you the specifics about how agave is harvested and produced. It makes for a nice article to lead with "Agave Conspiracy" or "Evil Agave is Marketing Triumph" but the reality is that you're hurting and slandering a small group of hard-working families in Mexico and in the U.S. that have created jobs and are paid fair trade for their agave production. Shame on you for the graphic portraying agave as a poison (fail). If you like agave, use it in moderation and enjoy life a little. If you don't like, then use honey or stevia.
As we can all see this is a very controversial subject! Im just glad that it is an individual choice and we all can judge and do our own research.
Tammy, TruelyRaw and NinaG,
1st I'd like to say thanks for taking an interest in our nutritional blog, Carley is our resident advisor on finding healthy, clean and most importantly fuel effiecent sources for our athletes. There were some interesting point brought up in these posts and I'd like to address a few. 1st, as Carley said, this is her personal veiw as how agave nectar pretains to her and her families requirements as elite athletes. Being CrossFitter we are constantly striving to improve, in hopes to prefect our health and well being so to be able to be as productive inside the gym as out.
Agave nectar and starch as well as any carbohydrate of any kind, fruit, vegys, agave nectar, and so on create an insulin response in your body, no matter how much you eat in moderation or not. The purpose of the insulin response is to store sugar in your muscles and fat cells for later use, so agave nectar does cause ur body to store sugar in your fat cells, just as any other carborhydrate we consume. The issue really is not if they add corn syrup but how that mass amount of sugar being digested by the body, when you eat agave nectar, effects your preformance, energy, hormone levels, and overall health and fitness. Continuing digestion of excess sugar will tax your body into failure, hence why so many american are insulin resistance, diabetes, heart disease, obesity and so on. Again, as CrossFitters something we are striving to avoid. Also, the chemical make up of high fructose corn syrup and agave nectar are obviously not the same they are 2 different sweeteners however the issue here is the fructose %. Agave is fructose and glucose with % ranging from, 92% fructose and 8% glucose, and 56% fructose and 20% glucose depending on the company. Agave nectars glycemic load is comparable, if not higher with some products, to fructose. The issue with this topic is that it doesnt truelly matter how its processed or who grows it and how, it's bad for your body to expose it to such mass amount of sugar and assume that the overload of the insulin response is healthy. Just because it says organic does not mean it's healthy, but that's a whole 'nother topic.
Jenn, I agree with you that it is a personal choice. Just like to make sure the facts are put out for all of us to make the right choice. There are many considerations about agave, such as how it is produced (you may not care about that, but its really important to me), and how our bodies use it (for fuel and nourishment or for fat). The fructose question needs to be framed up with facts. Fructose itself is not bad - as in the natural fruit sugar found in apples, mangos, dates, etc. The fructose in these fruits is combined with other vitamins and fiber from the fruit, making it nutritious to our bodies, and providing pathways for the fructose to digest and be used as fuel. The agave inulin which, when heated, turns into natural fructose from the plant, is sweeter than sugar or honey, so you can use less and save on sugar calories. And since I am conscious of all of the foods I eat (checking labels and eating whole foods when possible) I am not being bombarded with sugars or HFCS sneaking into my body. So basically all I'm saying is that if you're health-minded, are cutting out all of the bad foods in your diet, and exercising regularly, your body can handle agave as a sweetener and digest with ease. Try it yourself, and you be the judge. For me, my body and blood sugars aren't effected with agave.
Here is a detailed, scientific article if you really want to dig deeper: http://betterworldcookies.blogspot.com/2010/06/why-i-use-agave-nectar-examination-of.html
If you want to try the highest quality, best tasting agave nectar, I recommend Nature's Agave Raw. I tried it last week (found it at Pilgrim's Market) on quinoa for breakfast and also a little drizzled over plain yogurt and strawberries after my workout. Seriously, I am using like 1 teaspoon max and it tastes wonderful (I know - moderation, right?) It's very low glycemic.
Truely Raw,
1st of all everybody's body, and their blood sugar levels, no matter who they are, is effected by any form of sugar. So, while were talking about fact lets address some. Fact is sugar is sugar so honestly no I dont care how its processed the fact is that it IS processed. It is refined sugar, heated and cooled, not in its natural form. It is not nourishing becuase it has been removed form it's natural product and turned into a byproduct of processing. Yes, fact, sugar is a fuel source and is nourishing when digested and broken down by the body with its natural product (such as a whole apple). However, Agave, being processed and removed from it natural form, does not contain those vitamins and minerals and nutritients that make it an effective fuel source. That's the last I have to say on the subject.
Hey Jen, check out this very detailed article about the makeup of the sugars in agave nectar: http://betterworldcookies.blogspot.com/2010/06/why-i-use-agave-nectar-examination-of.html
Here's a few excerpts that I find interesting:
* Agave nectar contains inulin (prebiotic fiber), and many trace nutrients including calcium, iron, and vitamins B and C. (table sugar has none)
* Organic agave nectar contains no chemical additives, fillers, or "mystery" ingredients, period.
* Agave nectar is 77% total sugars, compared with 100% refined white sugar. Because the sweetness of fructose is perceived earlier than that of other sugars, relatively less agave can be used in many preparations to achieve the same taste.
* Agave has beneficial properties which support digestive health.
* Agave contains naturally occurring inulin, a form of fructan found in a number of vegetables including onions, green beans, asparagus, and artichokes. The fructans in agave have been demonstrated to support the growth of beneficial microbial flora in the digestive tract.
* Recent studies indicate the presence of fructans in the digestive tract also protects against osteoporosis by increasing the absorption of calcium and magnesium, and may protect against diabetes and colon cancer.
* Agave plants are composed of fructans and contain no starch of any kind, so agave nectar is appropriate for those on a gluten-free diet. And like honey, agave nectar is composed of the unbound monosaccharides fructose and glucose, which can be directly absorbed without digestive hydrolysis. This makes agave an appropriate sweetener for those suffering from digestive disorders, whose ability to properly digest disaccharides such as sucrose and lactose is compromised. When complex sugars are not digested properly, they can feed harmful bacteria in the gastro-intestinal tract and perpetuate digestive disease.
Seriously, this article is spot-on for truly understanding why agave nectar is different that HFCS, honey and other sweeteners. All point are referenced to scientific studies. If you really want to know, I suggest the read. Cheers!
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