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Healthy Ingredients for the New Year

Jan 15, 2011

Agave nectar has become one of the hot ingredients that chefs are using when developing healthier recipes.

The usage of agave nectar has been dated back to the Aztec days, where this natural sweetener was considered a rare delicacy.  Agave nectar is a healthier alternative to sugar and honey. The nectar (sometimes called syrup) comes in light and dark varieties and has the consistency between honey and syrup.

 

With significant lower glycemic index than refined sugars, agave provides sweetness but not the blood sugar spike of other sweeteners.  This makes it a wise choice (when used in moderation) for diabetics.

The light variety has a mild, natural flavor; amber agave has a slight caramel taste while darker agave has more distinctive caramel notes.

The good news is that is that it does have a lower glycemic index, however, it does have similar calories to honey.  From our experience it works great as a sweetener but in large quantities the flavor can be a little overwhelming.