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I knew nothing about Agave Nectar until last week.

While clicking the Recipes tab at Transitions Lifestyle site, I came across this hot chocolate recipe. Scanned through the ingredients, I remembered from Robert E. Kowalski’s book, The Blood Pressure Cure saying that the cocoa products contained high flavonoids and is good for lowering the blood pressure. Cocoa is one of the five secret weapons for blood pressure cure described in the book. I also remembered reading somewhere that the cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla are high in antioxidant activities so I was ‘GO’ for it when I saw the recipe. My only question at that time was, what is this Agave Nectar and where to find it?

Wikipedia provides the following instant information on Agave Syrup:

Agave syrup (also called agave nectar) is a sweetener commercially produced in Mexico, from several species of agave, including Agave tequilana (also called Blue Agave or Tequila Agave), and the Salmiana, Green, Grey, Thorny, and Rainbow varieties.[1] Agave syrup is sweeter than honey, though less viscous.

Some producers claimed that the Glycemic Index (GI) of Agave Nectar is only 19, and some said it’s below 25. According to Wikipedia, the Glycemic index (also glycaemic index) or GI is a measure of the effects of carbohydrates on blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates that break down rapidly during digestion releasing glucose rapidly into the bloodstream have a high GI; carbohydrates that break down slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the bloodstream, have a low GI. You may find more info and the list of low GI foods in this easy to use Glycemic Index Food Guide.

Wiki also has this to say on Culinary Use of Agave Nectar.:

Agave syrup may be substituted for sugar in recipes.

• Use 1/3 cup of agave syrup for every 1 cup of sugar in the original recipe.
• The quantity of liquids in the original recipe must be reduced due to the moisture included in the syrup.
• Some chefs also reduce the oven temperature by 25°F in recipes requiring baking.

Vegans in particular commonly use agave syrup to replace honey in recipes. It is also a very effective sweetener for cold beverages such as iced tea as, unlike sugar and honey, it dissolves readily in cold liquids.

If you’re like me, and you’re trying to reduce your carbohydrate intakes, then please talk to your doctor and see if you can give Agave Nectar a try. I found agave nectar in our local healthy food store last week and I like that hot chocolate recipe from Transitions Lifestyle site. Agave Nectar is an alternative to Splenda or pure honey for me now.

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Tags: Agave nectar, glycemic index, low GI

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