In my most recent books,”Celebrate Life!” and “Vegan Inspirations”, I suggest using agave nectar as a high quality sweeter. At the time of publication, agave nectar was being hailed as a healthy alternative to sugar, high fructose corn syrup and even maple syrup as agave was being sold as raw and maple syrup is cooked down to the tick sweet liquid we know it to be leaving it without enzymes and other nutrients.
New information is coming out about agave nectar that puts it in a not so good light. Below are 4 reasons why you should avoid agave nectar. It is taken from an article
1. There are very few quality controls in place to monitor the production of agave syrup. Nearly all agave sold in the U.S. comes from Mexico. Industry insiders are concerned agave distributors are using lesser, even toxic, agave plants due to a shortage of blue agave. There are also concerns that some distributors are cutting agave syrup with corn syrup — how often and to what extent is anyone’s guess. In addition, the FDA has refused shipments of agave syrup due to excessive pesticide residues.
2. Agave syrup is not a whole food — it is fractionated and processed. The sap is separated from the plant and treated with heat, similar to how maple sap is made into maple syrup. Agave nectar is devoid of many of the nutrients contained in the original, whole plant.
3. Agave syrup is not a live food. The natural enzymes are removed to prevent agave syrup from fermenting and turning into tequila in your food pantry or cabinet.
4. Agave is, for all intents and purposes, highly concentrated sugar. Sugar and sweeteners wreak havoc on your health and are highly addictive.