Thursday, March 27, 2008

... Agave Nectar

Agave Nectar, as previously mentioned, is a favorite new find of mine. This sweet sticky juice comes from the leaves of a plant found in Mexico and is almost wholly fructose. Because it's fructose in its natural form, it doesn't contain processing chemicals. (Bonus #1).

Agave Nectar is a great substitute for table sugar. Actually, it's slightly more sweet so you can use less of it -- about 25% less when making the adjustment in recipes. (Bonus #2).

But what originally drew me to try this syrup out is its low glycemic index. Because I'm hypoglycemic, I have sever reactions to most all sweeteners. You can blindfold me in a grocery store and I'll be able to tell you when we are near the cookie aisle simply because my head will start to pound from the smell of sugar. The low glycemic index means my blood sugar levels are less likely to spike after consuming it. (Bonus #3).

The nectar reminds me of honey in that it has a golden appearance and a light flavor. The consistency is slightly thinner than honey (making it easier to pour). And unlike honey it doesn't crust up or crystallize and wipes up easily if you spill a drop on the counter.

Because Agave Nectar is thin and melts easily, I'm thinking it would be the ideal way to make sweet iced-tea in the summer. I'm not going to call that Bonus #4 though, because I'm from the north where we like our iced-tea unsweetened, strong, and bitter.

I recently heard about a new cookout called Baking with Agave Nectar. I haven't seen it in person, but if you check it out, let me know!

Oh, and by the way, it's pronounced ah-GAH-veh.

5 comments:

Ginger said...

we love it too! Im always looking for a cheap way to get it, any tips?
Oh, I take my tea, half sweet half unsweet and it does the trick perfectly
:)

Catherine said...

A coworker tells me that they use this to make tequila so it's gotta be good :)

Michelle said...

Ginger, the only place I've found it so far is at The Market in downtown Norfolk. It didn't seem too pricey but then again so far I've only used it for my oatmeal. If/when I start using it for baking, I can see it adding up quickly. I'll keep an eye out for bulk.

Cith, mmmmmm

Heatherelle said...

I've never purchased this before, so I have no idea what the usual price is, but they sell the same brand you show in your picture on amazon.com. You can get a big jug of it, or a 12-pack of smaller containers.

No, I've never purchased my groceries through Amazon before, but I've done some research online, looking for hard-to-find spices and such. I was surprised at all that Amazon carries!

Leslie said...

I love this stuff and i do bake with it. It is a great substitue for honey or maple syrup and sugar of course i don't use that too much anymore. I buy mine from a store called Henry's Marketplace. I love your posts! You are a girl after my own heart.