agave not so awesome

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wurgin
wurgin Posts: 241 Member
in Food and Nutrition
just came across this blog article that may be of interest to folks here... it has links to its references as well. apparently, agave is not a good idea.
http://realfoodforager.com/why-i-never-use-agave/
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  • SamanthaAnnM
    SamanthaAnnM Posts: 143 Member
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    My mom swears by agave nectar but after reading about it, I think I'll stick to honey! Thanks for the informative link.
  • kcputtytat
    kcputtytat Posts: 16 Member
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    Thanks for the info. Very informative. My dietitian recommends agave nectar so I am forwarding this article to her.
  • ockara
    ockara Posts: 33 Member
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    Yep, it isn't awesome at all! Stick to raw honey if you need sweet IMO
  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
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    I've read from many sources that it is not a good sugar alternative. It got a reputation of being good and so many jumped on that bandwagon before finding out the truth. Sad how often that happens.
  • mirandamayhem
    mirandamayhem Posts: 772
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    Oh gawds.
    Well, I've got a bottle I'm not throwing it out. Hardly use sugars anyway, but i like the odd cup of tea with a spoon of it in and will use it til the bottle ends. Then I will jump onto the next bandwagon............hornets nectar.......which will no doubt be cancer causing and result in early death for many 1's in 1 trillions
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
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    I actually asked a Whole Foods employee this question: If you do not have a problem selling Agave, when will WF sell HFCS jugs? She looked very confused until I told her how similar they are - and how in many ways its worse.
  • goldfinger88
    goldfinger88 Posts: 686 Member
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    While the article is interesting and cause for thought, I don't think we should take it as the truth. We can't believe everything we read or are told. This is merely one side and I see no real science behind it. If, in fact, all of this were true, the makers of the stuff could not put certain things on the label and in their advertising and have it approved by the FDA.
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
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    I guess if I were drinking cupfuls, I might be concerned. However, a half-teaspoon here and there probably wouldn't hurt anybody. Like everything else, if used in moderation, it's harmless.
  • Katbaran
    Katbaran Posts: 605 Member
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    This confirms my suspicions! I hadn't bought it for two reasons: price and I couldn't understand how it was different from corn syrup. It just didn't seem like an option for our family. Glad to see I wasn't just nuts! Thanks for the link!
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    Lol, typical fear mongering garbage. Did you notice not once did the article list what dosages were found to be harmful? I'm willing to wager that people using agave aren't coming close to using the amounts that have shown to have deleterious effects on the body
  • RuthSweetTooth
    RuthSweetTooth Posts: 461 Member
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    If the article is correct, then if agave is truly fructose, it is no different than high fructose corn syrup. Since it comes with no phytonutrients, doesn't sound awesome, but if you only want a spoonfull every now and them,no harm. I just think it sucks flavorwise, have some and can't seem to finish the bottle. Tequila is much better.

    LOL
  • ockara
    ockara Posts: 33 Member
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    more about it:

    http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/03/30/beware-of-the-agave-nectar-health-food.aspx
  • chuckmba
    chuckmba Posts: 1
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    I prefer agave in its more refined and better known state. Tequila.
  • alsaxon
    alsaxon Posts: 124 Member
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    just came across this blog article that may be of interest to folks here... it has links to its references as well. apparently, agave is not a good idea.
    http://realfoodforager.com/why-i-never-use-agave/

    I agree! Saw the research after I purchased. I will be using up my last 1.5 bottles but won't buy again.
  • Kalynx
    Kalynx Posts: 707 Member
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    So would this be the same then? Or is this the good stuff mentioned in that blog...Just not sure because this says raw - and does not use the word nectar. its kind of pricy too - so I'm wondering if its the good stuff.

    http://www.wholesomesweeteners.com/brands/Wholesome_Sweeteners/Organic_Raw_Blue_Agave.html
  • redhousecat
    redhousecat Posts: 584 Member
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    so, I'm a scientist. I'm also someone who has never tried agave stuff, nor do I intend to. BUT, I cannot find any scientific claims supporting these articles. The articles reference a small study on bees. Bees. Humans aren't bees.

    I think folks should stick to scientific articles that have a large number of human samples. Double blind studies even better. These types of articles fall in line with the raw milk vs pasturized milk fights or veggie eaters vs meat eaters. In other words, "agave is good. No, wait, agave is bad.......no, I mean, agave is good here, but not here"...etc, etc....

    catch my drift?
  • PrettyGrit
    PrettyGrit Posts: 19 Member
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    You can buy the good stuff or the bad same as everything else...
    http://www.lovingearth.net/media/files/great_analysis_of_agave.pdf
  • narwhalicorn
    narwhalicorn Posts: 8
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    This article makes unscientific comparisons and then draws unfounded conclusions from those initial comparisons. I wouldn't put any stock in it.
  • Cristofori44
    Cristofori44 Posts: 201
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    Lot of conflicting information out there. Supposedly it's relatively low glycemic but some scientific folks don't like the high fructose content:

    Another article:
    "Agave syrup is almost all fructose, highly processed sugar with great marketing," said Dr. Ingrid Kohlstadt, a fellow of the American College of Nutrition and an associate faculty member at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. "Fructose interferes with healthy metabolism when (consumed) at higher doses", she told me.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-jonny-bowden/debunking-the-blue-agave_b_450144.html

    As far as servings are concerned, one tbsp of agave nectar has 90 calories. One tbsp of honey is 64 cals, but it's only 38 percent fructose, and one tbsp of sugar is 45 cals and 50 percent fructose.

    Honey has antioxidant and anti-allergen properties. It's probably gotten a bad rap compared to other stuff out there.
  • PrettyGrit
    PrettyGrit Posts: 19 Member
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    I have seen posts for sugar containing between 360-380 cals per 100g.
    The organic raw agave syrup I have has 312 per 100g ... so thats not right. Plus you get the vitamins, minerals and enzymes.

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