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Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Sugar Substitutes – Part 1


Agave Nectar – widely known as a “natural” sweetener.  Agave comes from the same plant used to make tequila. Most agave nectars are made from the blue agave plant. Agave starts out as a natural sweetener but the product sold in stores has been processed to form a syrup or nectar.

Agave has about 60 calories per tablespoon, compared to 40 calories for the same amount of table sugar, but agave is 1 ½ times sweeter than sugar, so you can use less of it.  This sounds good but it actually means you can achieve the same sweetness for about the same number of calories. 

Agave isn’t necessarily healthier than sugar, honey, high-fructose corn syrup or any other sweetener though it does contain very small amounts of calcium, potassium, and magnesium – not enough to provide nutrition. Some say agave is healthier because it’s touted as having a lower glycemic index (a scale that measures how much various foods raise blood sugar levels) than other sweeteners so it is diabetic friendly.  The American Diabetic Association states that agave should be just as limited as the other sweeteners.

Sugar is the most widely used food additive.  Americans ingest way too much sugar especially from beverages.  The healthiest way to satisfy your sweet tooth is with whole fruit.   Not only do you get a sweet treat but you also benefit from the vitamins, minerals, fiber and water content.
So agave isn’t a sweetener that should be avoided or necessarily should be used to replace other sweeteners.  Just like all sweeteners, it should be used in moderation.

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