Comments on: Agave Nectar – A Vegan Sweetener Panacea?

By: Dangerfood: Agave | Greatist.com

Dangerfood: Agave | Greatist.com — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:54:18 +0000

[...] But agave isn’t all bad. It is a bit sweeter than white sugar, so it takes less agave to achieve the same level of sweetness. But beware — even though we don’t need to use as much for the same level of sweetness, when foods are perceived as healthy, we might end up eating more of them, actually increasing total calorie intake (and maybe even weight gain) in the long run [9]. And compared to honey and maple syrup, agave has a subtler flavor, making it a popular sugar substitute in recipes where other options may change the overall taste. Unlike honey, agave is also vegan-friendly. [...]

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 20:20:11 +0000

Agave is NOT so eco-friendly after all:

http://www.jointheevolution.ca/blog/2010/04/19/sharing-agave-nectar-with-those-who-really-need-it-why-you-wouldn’t-have-agaves-without-bats/

By: Lane

Lane — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:13:34 +0000

Hi Judith,
No new info… We have the original container of agave nectar we bought when we switched over to a vegan diet last year. It’s not our sweetener of choice, but we keep it on hand for company. We use honey, and brown rice syrup, and I’ll use maple syrup when it’s added after cooking (Jane doesn’t care for it.)
We cut out almost all HFCS about 7 years ago. One of us read something about how awful and prevalent it is… It’s even in most ketchup!
The other thing we cut out is Partially Hydrogenated Oils… It’s interesting to see NYC and a few other cities have banned trans fats.
Every once in awhile we’ll crave something with one or both of those ingredients and we’ll go ahead and buy it. But usually, we avoid them like the plague.

By: Judith

Judith — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:37:26 +0000

I also had concerns over Agave and after doing research I am no longer using it. I am worried that it is being promoted as healthy and natural when there maybe serious health problems associated with eating a product so high in fructose.
My posting is at ThursdaysGirl.wordpress.com
let me know if you have new info, best wishes ThursdaysGirl

By: Lane

Lane — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 05:17:09 +0000

Hi LaTara,
Living in Los Angeles, I would suspect we could find Zulca… We’ll have to keep our eyes open for it when we’re out shopping. We’ve been using brown rice syrup more lately. It’s slightly less sweet, and sometimes that’s better.
Agreed, moderation is the key.

By: LaTara

LaTara — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:18:13 +0000

We do use agave nectar here in the home but we also have honey, molasses, stevia, and even a mexican cane sugar called Zulca (very good and unrefined sugar).

As with anything, the key in moderation.

By: MoonSage

MoonSage — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:55:26 +0000

You’re welcome. I’ve used barley malt sugar many times for things that call for something sweet – even as a sweetener for baking bread and pizza dough.

I’ll try and get that post with the recipe on it on my site soon but I’ve still got a couple of other things I need to post first.

So many things in the world that need out attention and better yet, action!

Peac, love and understanding to all.

By: Jane

Jane — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 04:00:25 +0000

Madcap & Moonsage,
Thanks for the tip/review on barley malt syrup. It’s on my shopping list!
–Jane

By: madcapCupcake

madcapCupcake — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 22:42:02 +0000

Hi Lane – I picked up the barley malt syrup today. It’s very nice! Very much like honey, both in taste, texture, and viscosity, with a malt twist. Stronger flavour than agave – I suspect it will be brilliant in baked goods. Thanks to MoonSage for the tip!

By: Lane

Lane — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:12:13 +0000

Hi Madcap,
Frightening, isn’t it. Sometimes it feels like you need a degree in chemistry to interpret what’s on your food labels!
Jane’s trying to move us away from refined white sugar too, but that requires reeducating our palates. 40+ years of sugar is a hard habit to break.