Finding the Pieces to the Health Puzzle

I wrote recently about how bad sugar is for us and in a comment I mentioned that I would write about alternatives soon. You see, I have discovered this awesome substitute called Agave Nectar. I discovered it while at Whole Foods a few months ago. This other customer actually pointed it out to me. So, I decided to try it. And it really is good. We even use it on our pancakes instead of table syrup. Here are some facts about it:

The agave plant’s fleshy leaves cover the pineapple-shaped heart of the plant, which contains a sweet sticky juice. It is about 90% fructose in its natural forms. No harsh processing chemicals. It has a low glycemic level. And, because it is sweeter than table sugar, less is needed in your recipes. It can be very useful for people who are diabetic, have insulin resistance, or just watching carbs.

When substituting this sweetener in recipes, you would want to use about 25% less in a recipe. So, 3/4 C Agave = 1 C of sugar. You would also want to reduce your liquid slightly, sometimes as much as 1/3 less. And reduce your oven temp by 25 degrees. Of course, you can substitute it in other things besides baked goods…tea, coffee, homemade salad dressings, etc.

So, enjoy!