Agave Nectar

[HoopsTer]

So I regularly use agave nectar as a sugar substitute in a lot of my cooking and on/in things (such as oatmeal and coffee).

Yesterday I found flavored agave- They have all sort of flavors now; cappucino, vanilla, irish cream etc. Most are geard towards peple who use it in their coffee. I picked up the vanilla and it is so so yummy in my coffee.

But my question is, does the flavoring make it that much more processed and less healthy for me? :huh: I forgot to read the lable when I bought it and squirted it in my coffee this morning. I just figured agave is good. end of story.

Any ideas??

[LiL MaMa]

Read the label, what are the ingredients?

[HoopsTer]

I dunno! It's in my kitchen and Im at work! :lol:

this is the kind i got:

http://www.madhavasagave.com/images/products-agaveflavour.jpg

Im trying to look up the ingredients on line...

[HoopsTer]

ah, I guess it says organic flavoring.

[yummy_taraleigh]

what is organic flavoring though....that's can be like organic soybean oil....just because it's organic doesn't mean it's ok......sometimes it is so confusing.

[HoopsTer]

Sometimes??? :fingersear: :lol:

I guess I need to actually read the lable and do some investigating!! I hope it's not bad, cause it makes my coffee delish!

[LiL MaMa]

what is organic flavoring though....that's can be like organic soybean oil....just because it's organic doesn't mean it's ok......sometimes it is so confusing.

Yes you really have to read the ingredients not just the label.

Talk about trickery!

I can't tell you how many times I've bought something bc the label says organic and then I get home and read the ingredients and it turns out the product isn't all natural or organic!

[georgi]

I haven't tried agave nectar. My Dr. said she uses it in her coffee. They now have it at Stop & Shop in the "organic/natural" aisle. :)

[LiL MaMa]

I haven't tried agave nectar. My Dr. said she uses it in her coffee. They now have it at Stop & Shop in the "organic/natural" aisle. :)

they do? that's awesome! :)

[HoopsTer]

I love love love the vanilla agave in my coffee! I want to try the ameretto next!

[LiL MaMa]

I love love love the vanilla agave in my coffee! I want to try the ameretto next!

Did you find out if the flavoring makes it more processed?

[PieDoh]

some flavorings are not good for the liver...hard to process

[HoopsTer]

Organic Agave nectar and natural vanilla flavoring.


And Stephen picked up some for me to keep at his house, it's Agasweet- organic agave with natural almond flavoring. It's delicious!

[LiL MaMa]

Organic Agave nectar and natural vanilla flavoring.


And Stephen picked up some for me to keep at his house, it's Agasweet- organic agave with natural almond flavoring. It's delicious!

aw that's so cute of him! :)

[georgi]

I'm scared to try this in coffee. I guess I'm just picturing putting honey into my coffee. :lol: :puke:

I actually bought some Purevia. I'm liking it. :thumbup:

http://www.purevia.com/

[HoopsTer]

I love it in my coffee.
More than I like stevia or vanilla stevia in my coffee. :)

[kate11]

for coffee and baking, i use maple sugar or syrup from my friends place...i'd try this though...cool

[mountain mama]

LOVE LOVE LOVE agave!! Tea, coffee, on oatmeal, cereal - this stuff is so sweet!:)

[HoopsTer]

for coffee and baking, i use maple sugar or syrup from my friends place...i'd try this though...cool

The awesome thing about agave is that it doesnt spike your blood sugar. :)

But I use maple sugar and syrup a lot too :)

[LiL MaMa]

I've been using honey in my coffee but I think I'm gonna switch to the agave nectar

[little frog]

i use honey as my main sweetener in baking, maple syrup and agave .. the agave is slightly less jarringly sweet, i use it when i make granola. i love it. i don't use any sweeteners in my coffee or tea

[musicmomma]

honey is bee puke :funny1: hey terra, what can i use in place of corn syrup in recipes? is agave nectar good for it? i use my 365 grade b maple syrup if i need to sweeten my tea but its rare since yogi teas are so yummy to begin with, lol.

[HoopsTer]

Use brown rice syrup!!!
Looks and works and tastes just like corn syrup but no sugar spike!!!

http://www.purefun.ca/images/ingredients_brownRiceSyrup.jpg

[Jam Fan]

Use brown rice syrup!!!
Looks and works and tastes just like corn syrup but no sugar spike!!!

FALSE.

Though it is said to have a low glycemic index (20), it is not recommended for diabetics, since its sweetness comes from maltose, which is known to cause spikes in blood sugar.

[HoopsTer]

You're right, I should not have said it has no sugar spike.

However, in relation to corn syrup there is a drastic difference.

Brown rice syrup is made by adding a small amount of sprouted rice or barley to cooked brown rice. The rice is then strained and cooked, becoming a golden syrup with a butterscotch flavor. It is about half as sweet as sugar, and, as with barley malt syrup, complex carbohydrates inhibit dramatic shifts in blood sugar levels. Brown rice syrup metabolizes slowly but does have calories and carbohydrates. Diabetics and low-carb dieters should use it with caution. Otherwise, it is fine for anyone who wants a whole-food natural sweetener.

Brown rice syrup "is roughly 50% soluble complex carbohydrates, 45% maltose, and 3% glucose. It is a "time-release" energy source. The glucose is absorbed into the bloodstream immediately, the maltose digests over one and a half hours, and the complex carbohydrates burn over two to three hours.

Brown rice syrup is considered to be one of the healthiest sweeteners in the natural food industry, since it is produced from a whole food source and is made up of the simple sugars."

[musicmomma]

thanks terra... i couldn't find agave at shaws but will head out to Super stop and shop tomorrow. :heart: actually mike is working next to whole foods, maybe i can convince him to go after work :wink:

[HoopsTer]

whole foods can be a bit pricey for agave....It's almost double the price for the vanilla agave I like at whole foods vs. Deans Natural Foods. The whole foods next to my house in Reddletown charges like $8 for the vanilla where as dean's charges $4. it should be about $5 for a bottle (8oz i think). You might try the co op in JP if the wholefoods is expensive. Trader joes carries it as well.

I cant remember what their brown rice syrup prices are like though. :undecided:

[musicmomma]

harvest costs me more than WF but thanks terra. i'm gonna hit S&S tomorrow to see if i can get it there.. the one on rt1 in dedham is always stocked! i really wish harvest was less expensive, i love having it so close to me. i'll be REALLY glad when my new whole foods in dedham opens this summer!!! :crazy: