• Agave Nectar
  
  By Ciara Carruthers

  Upon entering the world of raw foodism, one is likely to encounter many different words, phrases and forms of existence that are just taken for granted, taken for normal. Wander onto any raw food forum, and an entirely different and strange world is opened up to the newcomer; people talking about their alkalinity levels, mentions of green smoothies and strange foods, such as wheat sprouts, durian fruits and agave nectar.

   

Aah, agave nectar, how many fans you do have!

Sweet, vegan, healthier than sugar and with a taste less strong than honey, agave nectar has the added benefit of being safe for diabetics to use.

Obtained from the agave plant which grows in Mexico, the juice from the plant is what makes the nectar. The plant is pressed to extrude the juice which is then heated to reduce the liquid into syrup. Interestingly, tequila, that vile tasting spirit, actually comes from the same plant. It is merely the juice, fermented into an alcohol.

The agave syrup is composed of 70% fructose, and has a low glycemic index, hence why it useful for those who are diabetic, want to reduce their calorie or carbohydrate intake or are insulin resistant. Agave nectar is at least 25% sweeter than table sugar, and so 25% less is needed for your sweetening needs.

For those following a raw food diet, you should always make very sure that you are buying RAW agave nectar, for although it is a natural food, like honey, it is not always raw. The folks at 'Wilderness family naturals'  are just one of the suppliers of raw agave nectar.

Agave nectar can be used in any way that you would use a 'normal' sweetener. Add it to your coffee (if you are still attached to coffee, as I am), add it to your smoothies, make lemonade with agave instead of sugar, make all natural sweet chili sauce, or just add it to anything you feel you need to.

There are many raw sweeteners available for use; raw honey, raw cane sugar, dates and other dried fruit, but agave certainly tops the lot in may ways; it won't spike your blood sugar level so quickly, it dissolves easily even in cold liquids, it has a very long shelf life, and it is 100% vegan.