Sweetener

Agave is much sweeter than sugar and has a glycemic index of only 11, whereas sugar ranges between 68-85. The name ‘agave’ comes from the Greek word for ‘noble.’ The agave plant is related to the lily and amaryllis and is its own genus. It is a succulent and although it shares a common habitat with many cacti it is not one itself and has a different life cycle.

Mature agave leaves are 5 to 8 feet long giving the plant span a diameter of 7 to 12 feet. Depending on the species, climate and growing conditions, agave has a lifespan of 8 to 15 years. There are 136 species of agave in Mexico, where it is native, of which only the ‘Blue Agave’ (Agave tequilana) is the only one allowed for use in tequila production and also the only one used to make Young Living’s Blue Agave. Several other agave species are used in the production of mescal, an alcohol similar to yet quite different than tequila.

Agave Nectar

Blue Agave (Agave tequilana) is higher in fructose-producing carbohydrates than other species of agave and is considered the finest in the world. The nectar is derived from the carbohydrates present through a totally natural thermic (heat) process with no chemicals involved. To produce this syrup the juice is expressed from the core of the plant and then selected to become either dark agave syrup or filtered to create a light syrup.

The unfiltered dark syrup contains many minerals and retains a natural and unique flavor with a hint of a vanilla-like aroma. The light syrup has the natural solids removed through a fine filtration process which creates a syrup that can be used in recipes that require a more neutral base.

As with the creation of all agave syrups the light and dark are then heated, which causes the thermic hydrolysis which breaks down the carbohydrates into sugars. The main carbohydrate is a complex form of fructose called inulin, or fructosan. The filtered juice is then concentrated to a syrup-like liquid which is a little thinner than honey.

Fructose is a simple sugar found mainly in fruits and vegetables. Due to the predominance of fructose, agave syrup is much sweeter than sucrose but has the same caloric value as table sugar. Thus, a smaller amount of Blue Agave yields the same sweetness level but with much fewer calories than sucrose. This gives Blue Agave advantages in both the food industry and the health of the consumer.

Unhealthy Sweeteners

Blue Agave can replace all sweeteners we commonly find in prepared foods and use in food preparation. Typically, the sugars we want to avoid come under the names of: evaporated cane juice, corn syrup, dextrose, ethyl maltol, high-fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin, raw sugar, turinado sugar, and of course – all of the artificial sweeteners (a.k.a. – NutraSweet, Sweet ‘n Low, Splenda, Aspartame, etc. – which “once” may have come from a natural source but through processing deadly chemicals have been added).

To further complicate our sweet-tooth desires, and of much greater concern, is the usage of ‘Sugar Beets’ in processed foods, such as candy. Companies like Hershey’s has requested that Monsanto produce a Genetically Modified (GM) sugar beet to use as a sweetener source in their confections.

Physical Responses to Sugars

In response to a rise in blood sugar when we ingest a sweetener, our pancreas produces insulin, which removes sugar from the blood, which will be stored as fat. This process results in low blood sugar, which makes us want to eat more sweets. It should be of no surprise that sugar consumption (table sugar and artificial sweeteners) leads to obesity and diabetes.

What may be a bigger surprise, is that sugar consumption also increases triglycerides, a major predictor of heart disease. And cancer grows faster, cancer feeds on sugar – as does yeast, Candida and fungus. Read more and watch the video on Cancer is a Fungus. Sugar also lowers the body’s ability to produce antibodies, hindering the germ-killing ability of white blood cells, and blocks the transport of vitamin C. It’s no wonder many consider sugar a poison.

What the Savvy Consumer Needs to Know

Whether you get your agave from Young Living or another source here are key things to look for on the label:

• Organic
• Species name on the label, you want Agave tequilana

If these two are not on the label you have no way of knowing what you’re getting and the benefits or results you desire may not be satisfactory.

About Blue Agave

Calories per serving: 20
Carbohydrates per serving: 5.2 grams

Approx. 189 servings per 32 oz. bottle and costs 1/15th of one penny per serving at the wholesale price (I highly recommend being a wholesale customer)

Approx. 47 servings per 8 oz. bottle and costs 1/25th of a penny at the wholesale price

Ingredients: Organic nectar from Agave tequilana

Flavor of Blue Agave

Blue Agave is absolutely delicious, I find it to be the best tasting sweetener I’ve ever eaten. No after-taste, no bitterness – it a fantastic sweetener for those looking to have their cake and eat it too.

If you’ve tried Stevia and were not so pleased with the after-taste, cooking adjustments, and limitations – Blue Agave is probably a much better choice for you. I highly recommend giving it a try.

How to Use Blue Agave

• Organic Blue Agave is a natural product that can sweeten any type of beverage or food.
• In recipes, use 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of Blue Agave in place of any other sugar/sweetener. You may also need to reduce the amount of liquid, just as you would if you were using honey.
• Use Blue Agave just like you would use honey in beverages, cereal, cooking, bread, baking and deserts.
• One of my favorite holiday-time recipes using Blue Agave is Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Tangerine Essential Oil, which also happens to make an excellent topping for yogurt!
• You can even flavor the Blue Agave with essential oils (only Young Living essential oils are safe for internal consumption), some nice choices would be: Lavender, Lemon, Tangerine, Orange, Grapefruit, Peppermint, Spearmint, or the blend Citrus Fresh.

Evelyn Vincent

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Articles by Evelyn Vincent, Young Living Independent Distributor #476766

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