There have been several articles circulating about agave nectar lately that put all agave’s in a negative light. Unfortunately they are based on misconceptions that have been floating around the internet for a while now and don’t relate at all to Xagave.
What We Believe
We believe in stepping outside the box to offer people a unique and healthy alternative to mainstream sweetener options. This belief prompted us to create Xagave which is a proprietary blend of the calcium rich white agave and the nutritional inulin extracted from the preprocessed blue agave. There is nothing on the market like it.
We are believers in moderation in all things. We believe that over consuming any type of sugar is bad, whether it be sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose or lactose. You may have heard that Americans consume as much as 150 to 200 pounds of sugar a year – this is clearly too much. The concept behind BetterBody Foods & Nutrition and Delicious Meets Nutritious is to find ways to significantly reduce sugar in all forms, reduce fat, and incorporate whole grains into the foods that we love. Simply, we are trying to make foods delicious and nutritious.
We cannot speak on behalf of other agave nectar brands, but here is a response to the claims that have been made regarding agave and how they apply to Xagave Premium Blend Agave Nectar.
- The first claim is that agave nectar is not made from the sap of the plant but from the starch of the root bulb. The main constituent of the agave root is starch
The Facts: Agave does not contain starch. Agave is made from the root of the plant, sometimes referred to as the bulb
or the “pina”. The agave process is nothing like the process used to derive High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) from corn starch as agave nectar is derived from the fructans of the agave plant. There are two processes utilized, one is simply heating the nectar to break the fructans down into sugars (fructose and glucose) and the other is to introduce organic certified enzymes to break the fructans down into sugars (fructose and glucose). We prefer the organic enzymes process due to the fact that it eliminates the need to heat the nectar and permits us to retain a “raw” status. Xagave is a USDA certified organic product and is certified to contain no genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
*For a full discussion on the process of Xagave please see our website.
- The second claim is that Agave contains more fructose than High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). Ranging up to 90%!
The Facts: Agave is composed of 49% fructose which is lower than table sugar and HFCS. It is also lower in total sugars (being 49% fructose, 17% glucose) than the other natural options. For a comparison of your sweetener options, comparing total sugars (fructose and glucose), calories, and glycemic index, please review the chart below and decide for yourself. You will note that Xagave’s total sugars are lower than table sugar, honey or date paste. It also provides calorie savings and is significantly lower on the glycemic index.
Sweetener Comparison Chart
| Item | Fructose | Glucose | Total Sugar*** | Calories per 100 grams | Glycemic Index |
|
Table Sugar* |
50% |
50% |
97% |
500 |
58-65 |
|
Honey |
38 to 42% |
35 to 40% |
80 to 84% |
304 |
46-83 |
|
Date Paste** |
32% |
34% |
70 to 80% |
270 |
103 |
|
HFCS |
55 to 90% |
45 to 10% |
100% |
370 |
62 |
|
Xagave |
49% |
17% |
64% |
308 |
30 |
Please note that blue agave has a higher fructose and fructose content will depend on how long it has been processed. The above fructose content is based on Xagave which is a white agave based product.
*Sugar is actually sucrose, but sucrose, upon consumption breaks down into fructose and glucose in roughly equal parts.
** Information was not readily available on date paste, so the author utilized medjool dates as the metric.
*** Total Sugar may exceed fructose and glucose because of other sugars such as sucrose and maltose.
Here is a little more perspective on the fructose content of Xagave: An average size Fuji Apple weighs between 180 and 300 grams and will contain about 15 to 25 grams of sugar. The 25 grams is split 15 to 18 grams of fructose and 5 to 8 grams of glucose. Two tablespoons of Xagave has 18 grams of fructose and 3 grams of glucose; thus, two tablespoons of Xagave has about the same fructose of one large apple and less glucose! Our recipe for Carrot Cake contains about 1 tbsp of Xagave per serving; therefore containing less fructose than a large apple. When baking or cooking foods that require a sweetener, using Xagave instead of table sugar can actually decrease your fructose consumption. Xagave is clearly the better option, but it is important to remember that all sweeteners should be used in moderation.
- The third claim is that agave is not low glycemic and therefore just as bad for diabetics as regular processed sugars.
The Facts: Xagave is a low Glycemic Index Food. Xagave is between 30 and 35 which places it in the “low” category. The glycemic test on Xagave was conducted by an independent laboratory. The Glycemic Index for other popular sweeteners are as follows:
- High fructose Corn Syrup: 62
- Table Sugar (Sucrose): 58-65
- Honey: 46 to 83
- Xagave: 30 to 35
**For Xagave Independent Lab Results Click Here,
**** Glycemic Values obtained from “International table of glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) values”
Summary
The simple truth is that there are a number of sweeteners on the market, all claiming to be the best. Xagave brand agave nectar is a great alternative that can help you reduce your total sugar intake by as much as 50%. It tastes delicious and can be used to cook, can and bake and can be utilized to also reduce the fats in your diet while improving the taste and texture of you foods. It is a low glycemic food that does not spike your blood sugar levels and it contains fiber, which studies have shown improve digestive health. Look at the facts and we are sure that you will come to the same conclusion that we have. Enjoy in moderation!
More opinions on agave:
An Examination of Agave Facts and Fiction
The Is Agave Bad For You Fallacy
For a response to Dr. Mercola’s recent agave article, click here
24 Comments to "The Truth About Agave: It is a Great Alternative to Sugar, Honey and other Natural Sweeteners."
Thank you so much for publishing an article containing the facts about agave nectar. It seems that the ‘quack’ info travels more quickly and people want to plug-in to negativity. I know that my body is happy with agave whereas it with sugar it just goes a little wacko. Again, thanks for the solid article. I will share this with my readers.
Thank you so much for this. Amy is right – there is so must mistrust in our world these days that people seem to feel more satisfied and even vindicated when something positive, healthy or good seems to be revealed as a scam of some sort or another. I suspect because it validates their mistrust in general, even when the target is wrong, as in this case. Hence this new ‘agave = fructose = corn syrup = scam = bad’ meme that’s been floating around lately. I’ve happily eaten it for several years and, while all our bodies are different, mine does just fine with agave. No rush, no crash, no negative effects on my thinking, etc. Looking forward to trying your brand.
do you have any daily or travel size?
We are in the process of making individual size packets of Xagave that are travel friendly.
I just tried Xagave and I loved it. The real test was in my coffee. If it tastes good there I think its a good sweetener. I am also impressed with the claim that it is low on the glycemic index and its organic. My only concern is that I used the small bottle up so fast and its kind of pricey for me. Why does everything good for you have to be so expensive?
Can you tell me if this product can be used by Diabetics?
Ruben,
Xagave is a great alternative to common sugars for diabetics as it is low-glycemic (approx 30) and will not spike your blood sugar like other sugars. With that in mind we do still suggest moderation (for everyone, not just diabetics) and for the diabetic to monitor their blood sugar levels as I’m sure they always do.
Thank you for this. I have used and loved agave for years. I love the taste in my coffee and tea and also use it for cooking. My husband was very concerned when he started reading all the negative information about agave.
One question I have is does it interfer with the use of copper in the body?
Barbara,
We don’t have the specific study for copper, but studies have shown that Xagave helps with the absorption of magnesium, calcium and other like minerals into the blood stream so the thought is that copper would act in a similar manner. Hope this helps and glad you enjoy agave. We hear time and time again that once people try Xagave brand agave nectar they notice a night and day different in taste and application (particularly in cooking and baking) on top of Xagave having the highest health profile due to our processing which retains the naturally occurring calcium, minerals and inulin.
Thanks, Stephen. I particularly found the sweetener chart useful.
If it’s okay, we’ve posted this article over at our site:
http://www.braintoniq.com/is-agave-bad-for-you-fallacy.php
Thanks again for helping spread more accurate information on agave.
I have always been an Ice Tea drinker and regular sugar started to bother my stomach and colon so I switched to organic sugar and still had a problem I tried every sweetner out there stevia,splenda,honey, diet sugars and either my stomach would hurt or the taste was awful. I’ve waited 50 years to find out about agave, a massage therapist just told me last week about it, and I ran to find some at Trader Joes, OH MY GOODNESS IT IS THE BEST SWEETNER I HAVE EVER TASTED, EVERYONE GO GET SOME, I WILL USE THIS FOREVER LONG I STILL HAVE, IF ONLY I HAD GROWN UP ON THIS.
So it looks like what I am reading is that agave bought in the store is processed and can be high in fructose sugar, but that your “Xagave” is processed differently and that is why it is a good brand and low on the glycemic index.
I have to say I am very disappointed that I am reading all these bad articles about agave because I had all my family and friends buying it. It always claims to be good for diabetics.
I have not tried your product, but have to say, I am a little nervous about doing that. We eat very healthy, organic food, and thought agave was healthy and organic.
Nearly every negative agave article on the internet can be traced back to one article written by Doctor Mercola, his agave claims are simply not true when referring to Xagave Brand Agave. To sum it up, Xagave is 100% organic and contains absolutely no trace of HFCS. Xagave is composed of 49% fructose and it ranks approximately 30-35 on the Glycemic Index which is considered “low”. We have a number of diabetic customers who have been referred to agave by their doctor, use Xagave, and love it. I hope that this information is helpful to you as you continue to make healthy decisions.
I wonder if this is a good substitute to sugar and can be used by diabetics?
Xagave is a great alternative to sugar. We have a number of diabetic customers who use Xagave because it is a low glycemic sweetener. We always suggest that you consult your doctor before making diet changes
I was told about Agave and I thought it was like honey (which means full of fructose). I have renal failure and I believe it was caused by overconsumption of soda containing hfcs and I have read that fructose is damaging to the renal cells. It appears that your product has less fructose than sugar but still a significant amount. Also you say it helps absorb minerals and that may be a problem for me because my kidneys have trouble removing certain minerals like phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. Have you found any research regarding Agave and people with renal impairment?.
We have a few customers who use agave and have renal impairment, we have not heard of an actual study that observes the impact of agave on renal impairment. It is always wise to check with your doctor before making decisions regarding sweeteners.
I have no issues with Agave Nectar. I’ve heard a lot of the debate and have dove into fairly deeply. I use the Raw Unprocessed kind.. and yes there is a difference even though many cry otherwise. Everything is ‘technically processed’… if you put an apple in a juicer it is ‘processed’. The key is whether there is harmful adulteration during that ‘process’. And there are different types of Agave and ways in which they are processed depending on the manufacturer. It’s key to know and trust those who make the products you take into your body.
A few reasons why I use it.. 1- I don’t have to use as much. So comparing if you eat a pound of each… Is a bad way to assess their merits. With Agave I use WAY less to achieve the same sweetness. 2- Fructose is what you find in NATURAL fruits like apples, etc. Fructose is absorbed into the body slower than sucrose(therefore the much lower glycemic index) so there’s no Spike then Crash of your blood sugar which causes one to lose energy and BURN LESS CALORIES. Regardless of whether you’re Diabetic OF COURSE it matters! It might not kill you, but there is an adverse effect. And finally.. 3- Sugar is processed using Animal products such as BONE CHARCOAL! ICK!
So to sum it up… Agave allows me to moderate my sugar intake a great deal!
Scientists have concluded that fruit is good for you because it has sugar with fiber — FIBER. Sugar taken alone like agave, sucrose, honey etc without the fiber is bad for you.
Glucose is the fundamental energy source for all living things. there are receptors for glucose throughout the body as oppose to fructose. Fructose DOES NOT stimulate insulin which is not a good thing. Their are not receptors for fructose as you probably already know. Why do I say this? Because fructose leads to high LDLs (pattern b) which in turn causes heart disease.
It’s really bad when you start COMPARING a fruit to agave. I mean really. Fruit has nutrients and FIBER. though agave and an apple may have the same fructose content, it can’t be compared.
please stop the disinformation.
I just love it. And just like anything else it must be used in moderation. It’s in my coffee in my tea and you don’t have to use too much. It tasted like sugar but not the harm that sugar does to your body.
Norm, looks like we’re arguing the same point. We agree that the difference between fruit and basic agave is the fiber that you find in fruit. That’s why Xagave is so much healthier than other agave nectars. We recognize this and blend inulin, a pre-biotic fiber, with our white agave nectar (a healthier nectar than the rest of the market that uses blue agave) so the result is 2.5 grams of fiber per tablespoon, or 12% of the recommended daily value per serving.
What exactly is the organic enzyme used by you to break down the fructans into sugar.
Are you saying that inulin has the same digestive affect as the naturally occurring fiber in the apple that you used as a comparison?
My take on all of these writeups and arguements is, if you can avoid xgave, agave and all the man made sweetners and even sugar do that. sweeten your food with natural fruit then. I know it’s difficult if yr drinking coffee or cereal. Lets preserve our lifes. I just started using xagave which l bought from my local Costco store but with all the controversy, l am uncomfortable l am going to train my test bud. l am not going to use any more sweetner period. On the other hand, if you must use something maybe the good old sugar in the raw. at least you know it’s sugar, use in moderation, really really in moderation, be active and you should be good. For coffee or tea use very little sugar. for cereal chop some sweet fruit into it like some apple or half a mashed banana. They are all natural no adulteration. That’s my take on these sweetners.