Problems With Agave Syrup Health Claims

[Reesacat]

Agave Health Claim Doesn't Match Its Hype

From the same cactus that gives us tequila, we now have a sweetener that is making health-food fanciers kick up their heels in delight -- it is a syrup made from agave, a succulent native to Mexico. Even my supermarket is now selling a variety of products proudly proclaiming that they are "sweetened with agave nectar," the implication being that this is healthier than regular sugar or high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
It’s easy to understand how agave syrup got its great reputation. The cactus has been cultivated for thousands of years. Even its name, "agave," has a fine pedigree, coming from the Greek word for noble. Fresh extracts from the agave plant have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and some antioxidant properties -- but unfortunately, there’s zero evidence that any of those compounds are present in the commercially made syrup.
Agave Claims
Agave nectar is an amber-colored liquid that pours more easily than honey and is sweeter than white table sugar, according to Jeannette Bessinger, author of Simple Food for Busy Families. Among the health claims are that it’s gluten-free (but so are all other refined sugars) and suitable for vegan diets (again, just like the rest of the sweeteners) -- and, most especially, that it has a relatively low glycemic index. A large body of research shows that foods with low glycemic indexes, such as vegetables, beans and high-fiber foods in general, tend to be healthier for us than foods that quickly raise our blood sugar. But in the case of agave nectar, you have to ask, why does this sugar have a low-glycemic index? And the answer is that agave nectar is made largely of fructose, which, even though it has a low glycemic index, is being implicated in many long-term health problems. With the exception of pure liquid fructose, agave nectar has the highest fructose content of any commercial sweetener.
It’s worth knowing that all sugars, from white table sugar to high-fructose corn syrup and even honey, include some mixture of fructose and glucose. For example, table sugar is 50% fructose/50% glucose and HFCS is 55/45. Agave nectar is a whopping 70% to 90% fructose.

"Fructose, which is basically the sugar found in fruit, is perfectly fine when it is ingested in whole foods like apples," said nutritionist Jonny Bowden, CNS, author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. "That’s because it also comes with a host of vitamins, antioxidants and fiber, so you are getting good stuff along with it. But, when fructose is extracted from fruit, concentrated and made into a sweetener, it plays havoc with the metabolism."
Research shows that fructose, more than other kinds of sugars, contributes to insulin resistance and often significantly raises blood levels of triglycerides (a risk factor for heart disease) in both obese and healthy people. It also has a greater propensity than other sugars to increase fat around the middle, which elevates risk for diabetes, heart disease and metabolic syndrome. And it’s the sweetener most often linked to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. (To learn more about the dangers of fructose, see Daily Health News, May 12, 2008.)
Spun Sugar
So, in the end, it’s all spin. "Agave nectar syrup ends up being a triumph of marketing over science," said Bowden.
Agave nectar is not poison -- it’s okay to enjoy it from time to time, says Bowden. But don’t believe the hype that it’s a health food -- that’s just food-industry sweet talk.

Source(s):

Jonny Bowden, CNS, board certified nutritionist, member American Society for Nutrition and American College of Nutrition, and author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth (Fair Winds Press). www.jonnybowden.com.
Jeannette Bessinger, board certified holistic health counselor, chef and author of Simple Food for Busy Families (Celestial Arts), based in Newport, Rhode Island. www.balanceforlifellc.com.

Daily Health News
March 8, 2010
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