Over the past 5-10 years, agave nectar has surged in popularity as an “all-natural” sweetener. It is now sold in almost every health food store and natural market, and is showing up more and more as an ingredient in packaged “natural” foods. It’s popularity is due, in large part, to manufacturer claims that agave is “all-natural” and “low glycemic”, and, because of that, preferable to sweeteners such as cane sugar, honey or corn syrup. Recent studies have cast some doubt whether agave nectar is as beneficial to your health as it is claimed to be.
An agave plant in Mexico
Agave was originally used by indigenous Mexican cultures, primarily the Aztecs, as a medicinal remedy. However, the agave nectar (known as miel de agave) prepared by the Aztecs is starkly different from what consumers are purchasing in our stores today. While Aztecs fermented or boiled the agave slowly for many hours, which would leave intact many of its nutrients, most of today’s commercial agave nectar (or syrup) is highly processed. Unless the agave syrup is raw + organic, it is usually made using genetically modified enzymes and harsh chemicals such as caustic acids, clarifiers, and filtration chemicals that strip the agave of its amino acids, minerals, vitamins and fiber, leaving behind a very high concentration of refined fructose. This process resembles that of the processing of high fructose corn syrup. This intense processing breaks the fructose and glucose’s bond, leaving behind free-floating fructose, which is more harmful to our health than a combined sugar, such as glucose or sucrose (table sugar).
High fructose corn syrup has earned its bad reputation due to many studies illustrating hazardous effects a high level of fructose can have on one’s health. Surprisingly, tests have shown that agave nectar contains a higher concentration of fructose than high fructose corn syrup. The final fructose content depends on the manufacturer’s extraction and processing of the agave, but on average the levels range from 59 to 67% fructose, while high fructose corn syrup is composed of about 55% fructose. Although fructose can be consumed in moderation, (<25grams / day) the typical American should be conscious of their intake as they are already consuming around 70g per day on average. Unfortunately, obesity, heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes are on the rise in America and have been extrapolated to be in direct correlation to the rise of fructose use. If you are at risk for any of these health conditions, you should try and avoid this condensed sugar, as it will only aggravate your health problems.
Concentrated fructose is processed through the liver, rather than digested in the intestine. Since it does not get digested in the intestine, it inhibits the body’s ability to recognize it. This is why agave can be marketed as “low-glycemic”- since it bypasses the gut, not all of the sugar gets digested and doesn’t show up in the blood. Fructose is immediately converted into stored body fat (lipogenesis). Since it does not get converted to blood glucose like other sugars, it doesn’t raise or crash blood sugar levels; deeming it falsely safe for diabetics. Studies have also shown fructose to inhibit Leptin levels. Leptin is a hormone the body uses to signal the brain that it is satiated. If this hormone is not being released properly, the body will not acknowledge that it is full and you will continue to eat, potentially leading to weight gain.
Unlike high fructose corn syrup, agave nectar’s high concentration of fructose is unknown to the majority of the public. Many companies use creative and deceptive marketing to tout this sweetener as a beneficial health food. Although not a poisonous substance, agave nectar should be consumed in moderation only by consumers who are healthy, of normal weight, and do not have diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol. Make sure to limit your fructose intake to less than 25 grams per day. Take note that there are 4 grams of fructose for every one teaspoon of agave nectar. When consuming agave nectar make sure to purchase a high quality brand that is both raw and organic, to ensure you are getting what you expect.
