I get loads of questions about the sweetener Agave. So what’s the story?
Let me tell you the good and the bad…
Firstly, the good-
Agave nectar (or syrup) is a natural sweetener produced from the agave plant. Both Agave and table sugar contain equal calories per gram (20 calories per teaspoon).
However Agave is sweeter as it contains more fructose than sugar so you end up using less.
It also has a lower Glycemic index, meaning it causes a lower spike in blood glucose and insulin.
Secondly, the bad-
As I mentioned Agave contains Fructose, which bypasses the normal metabolic pathway and doesn’t elicit a normal satiety response. Also Fructose has been linked to an increase in Triglycerides, increasing your risk for heart disease…hmmm not ideal.
So what is my opinion?
Steer clear of Agave! The sweeter taste isn’t worth the long term effects.
Having said that table sugar should also be limited (sorry to be the bearer of bad news). This is for the obvious reasons – weight gain, increasing risk of diabetes and heart disease, dental cavities, sugar lows
blah blah, the list goes on.
But FEAR NOT…
You can wean yourself from your “sugar addiction” by cutting intake down slowly. For example if you have two teaspoons of sugar in your tea, cut it down to 1 for a week, then down to half, until you don’t need any.
If you want to flavour oats, use cinnamon and vanilla. You can also throw in a handful of raisins or fruit to add some of nature’s real sweets 😉
Sweeten you life the healthy way 😉