What is Agave Nectar? Is it harmful to health?

Agave Nectar is also known by many other names as agave syrup or Agave nectar. This is a popular source of raw materials in European countries, but very few people know about it in Vietnam. So let’s learn about this ingredient with Tnhelearning.edu.vn!

What is Agave Nectar?

Agave cactus

Agave is a succulent, pointed-leaved plant with thorns on the leaves. The origin of the Agave tree comes from the Southern United States, South America and Latin America. That’s why they often appear in the southwestern United States…

Traditionally, the production of sweeteners from the agave plant was to extract the leaves of two types of agave plants, agave americana and agave tequilana, when they reached 7-14 years. These leaves are pressed to obtain a juice, known as piña, then filtered and boiled. When this mixture has condensed into a syrup, the color will be light or dark depending on the degree of processing.

The agave nectar currently marketed is very different from the native sweeteners. Because in addition to different manufacturing processes, traditional sweeteners still contain many healthy fibers such as fructans – beneficial for insulin metabolism.

Is agave nectar good for health?

Agave Nectar has a color quite similar to honey

When commercially produced, to make agave nectar , agave sugar must be treated with great heat, enzymes, many chemicals and cleaning agents. This process has destroyed all the health benefits of the agave plant, resulting in a very sweet, refined syrup containing 50-60% high fructose.

Unlike glucose, which can be easily digested and converted into energy, fructose can only be processed by the liver. With a high concentration of fructose, agave nectar puts the body at risk of fatty liver disease, which increases triglyceride levels.

Not only that, although fructose cannot raise blood sugar and insulin in the short term, consuming it in high doses can cause insulin resistance.

In addition, the absorption of a lot of fructose also causes many diseases related to high blood pressure, obesity in the abdomen, high cholesterol, … So if you have problems with liver disease, diabetes, kidney disease, should consult a doctor before use.

Agave Nectar is marketed

Agave nectar is 1.4 – 1.6 times sweeter than normal sugar , but has a relatively low glycemic index of only 32 out of 100 , because it contains very little sucrose . But the American Diabetes Association has advised that people with diabetes should not or limit its use in eating.

However, agave nectar has also been shown to provide a few benefits to the body when consumed:

• Promotes weight loss: According to research by the American Chemical Society (ACS) National Conference, agave nectar can keep the stomach full for longer and reduce cravings.
• Improves Energy Levels: Unlike refined sugar, agave nectar does not raise too much, nor does it help stabilize blood sugar. So you can replace the daily sugar with agave nectar to help you maintain energy all day without fear of hunger.

Hopefully this article can give you more knowledge and a more comprehensive view of Agave Nectar!

Source: Specialized healthline

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