Agave Syrup

I may be very bad at using the search function, but there's not much discussion of agave syrup in the forum that I can find. Apologies if I've missed an entire thread on the subject before.

I'm basically interested to know why (or even, if) agave syrup is a good choice of sweetener.

I begun using it after reading Derval O'Rourke's cookbook as she uses it in place of sugar and I never actually questioned why it's a better choice.

I've done a little bit of reading on it, and some sources say it's as bad as corn syrup, while others say it's a natural sweetener doesn't have the same effect on insulin levels as refined sugar.

I don't use much of it, I use 2 tablespoons each time I make a batch of flapjacks which gets me about 15. There is other sugar in the flajacks as they are based on a date and oat mixture so there is a high amount of fructose.

I'm not overly concerned with the flapjacks as they serve a purpose, but I am interested in what the best/healthiest sweetener is as I would prefer to be using that obviously.

Zillah

It's high in fructose, which has less of an impact on blood sugar, but fructose is actually pretty bad for you, because it has to be processed directly in the liver. When it has to process a lot at once it starts spitting lipids out into the bloodstream, and contributes to bad cholesterol. The only reason the fructose in fruits isn't so bad is because it usually comes with lots of fibre, which slows it down, and has tons of other nutrition that is good in other ways.

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/86/4/895.full

In this study, it was the free fructose, and not sucrose, that was related to the effect of LDL particle size. Studies in rodents, dogs, and nonhuman primates eating diets high in fructose or sucrose consistently show hyperlipidemia (4). The current report by Aeberli et al suggests that the higher intake of fructose by school-age children may have detrimental effects on their future risk of cardiovascular disease by reducing LDL particle size.

If you really want to spend some time on how and why fructose is especially bad for you, here is a fantastic lecture:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

All that said, your choice of table sugar vs honey vs agave syrup vs any other sugar is not going to make a good diet bad, or a bad diet good.

folamh

It's not much better than high fructose corn syrup, OP. Use honey instead. The best choice of sweetener, if you ask me. It's a whole food and it has anti-bacterial properties. Even better if it's local honey.

Tar.Aldarion

I use it because it tastes great and I use less of it than other sweeteners, I don't think it's healthier than any alternative really but I suppose the does its job of sweetening while not increasing blood sugar levels as much as others. If we go by that definition, fructose is better than glucose which is better than sucrose. I would just say limit yourself to as little added sugar as possible, although there are pros and cons to each type.


http://www.fda.gov/food/ingredientspackaginglabeling/foodadditivesingredients/ucm324856.htm
is high fructoseCS worse than others? They say no:

We are not aware of any evidence, including the studies mentioned above, that there is a difference in safety between foods containing HFCS 42 or HFCS 55 and foods containing similar amounts of other nutritive sweeteners with approximately equal glucose and fructose content, such as sucrose, honey, or other traditional sweeteners. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that everyone limit consumption of all added sugars, including HFCS and sucrose. FDA participated in the development of the Dietary Guidelines and fully supports this recommendation.

Why is honey better?

I honestly wouldn't trust the FDA on anything!

quaalude

Deleted User wrote: »

I may be very bad at using the search function, but there's not much discussion of agave syrup in the forum that I can find. Apologies if I've missed an entire thread on the subject before.

I'm basically interested to know why (or even, if) agave syrup is a good choice of sweetener.

I begun using it after reading Derval O'Rourke's cookbook as she uses it in place of sugar and I never actually questioned why it's a better choice.

I've done a little bit of reading on it, and some sources say it's as bad as corn syrup, while others say it's a natural sweetener doesn't have the same effect on insulin levels as refined sugar.

I don't use much of it, I use 2 tablespoons each time I make a batch of flapjacks which gets me about 15. There is other sugar in the flajacks as they are based on a date and oat mixture so there is a high amount of fructose.

I'm not overly concerned with the flapjacks as they serve a purpose, but I am interested in what the best/healthiest sweetener is as I would prefer to be using that obviously.

Having wrestled with pretty much this thinking in the past I came to the decision that the amount in each serving is so small it probably makes no difference if the two tablespoons are sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave syrup etc. etc. Personally, I'm done worrying about where the 0.1333 tablespoons of sweetness per serving comes from and I'm happier for it.

I use whichever tastes best in the dish, and what I have to hand. At the moment I really like using date syrup in baking and cooking, it has an almost chocolatey taste. And a big jar of it is €3 in any ethnic foods store.

colossus-x

Zillah wrote: »

If you really want to spend some time on how and why fructose is especially bad for you, here is a fantastic lecture:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

Fantastic little lecture thanks ! Thankfully I've already given up 'sweet' and with like anything else when you don't crave it you don't waste mental energy trying to hunt down the least worst version of it.

colossus-x

colossus-x wrote: »

Fantastic little lecture thanks ! Thankfully I've already given up 'sweet' and with like anything else when you don't crave it you don't waste mental energy trying to hunt down the least worst version of it.

I would agree with you that giving up sweet is a great idea and I try to keep sugar in my diet to a minimum, as I said, the flapjacks serve a purpose. I got very burnt out about a month ago from not refuelling properly and have had to increase my carb intake, so getting the best of the foods I am eating is something I don't mind spending time on.

Besides that, it's more of an interest that I have as I had previously blindly accepted that this syrup was better because a top athlete was telling me it was!

Markcheese

Fructose from fruit - grand (maybe not brilliant )
From hi-fructose corn syrup and agave syrup - not so sure - they're not sweet to start with - have read how they refine the carbs to make the fructose but can't remember where -

Mellor

Deleted User wrote:

I've done a little bit of reading on it, and some sources say it's as bad as corn syrup, while others say it's a natural sweetener doesn't have the same effect on insulin levels as refined sugar.

I really dislike the label "natural" when it's used in relation to sugar. I'm actually struggling to think of a consumer sugar that isn't natural.

Bags of sugar from tesco, natural sugar from sugar beet
Honey, molasses, maple syrup...all natural.

The vile and evil Coca-cola...made with sugar cane*, again natural.



*I'm aware that its made with HFCS in states, or at least it was. That's probably the only non-natural sugar I can think off off the top of my head. It's a starch converted to sugar chemically.

folamh wrote: »

It's not much better than high fructose corn syrup, OP. Use honey instead. The best choice of sweetener, if you ask me. It's a whole food and it has anti-bacterial properties. Even better if it's local honey.

The main sugar in honey is fructose, and then glucose.
It has pretty similar ratios of each to HFCS.

Zillah

When people refer to "natural sugar" I assume they mean sugar found inside foods like fruit, which comes with fibre and lots of other good stuff. It's only useful if consistently applied in that sense. Most sugars have a natural origin, but honey isn't going to have mitigating factors like fructose in an apple will. Generally people misuse terms like that all the time.

People complain about "chemicals".
You are made of chemicals.
Oh, I mean artificial chemicals.
No such thing.
I mean industrial chemicals.
You mean like oxygen and carbon? Those are used in industry.
I mean like bubbling vats of glowing green stuff like you see in the movies ok?!?!

ford2600

http://wholehealthsource.org latest post on here is pretty on topic

Mellor

Zillah wrote: »

When people refer to "natural sugar" I assume they mean sugar found inside foods like fruit, which comes with fibre and lots of other good stuff.

I'd have no problem with that, if it comes with fibre, vitamens etc. rather s concentrated sugar "from nature".
Or better yet, sweets and jellys made from natural ingredients. And fat free too, so you can eat as much as you like, right?