Agave is a sweet syrup, like honey, but a little thinner in consistency. Because it has a low glycermic index and will not elevate blood sugar, it is a great honey replacement for diabetics and low-glycemic dieters.

Because there are over 200 varieties of agave, you can imagine the confusion regarding agave. There are a LOT of claims and unsubstantiated statements out there. I studied all of those and then took a look at agave for myself. What I learned is that all agaves are NOT alike.

This said, I sought the expertise of Debra Lynn Dadd, an author who brings over twenty years of research and real-life experience to her work as a consumer advocate for health and the environment. She’s been called the “Guru of Good and Healthy Cooking” and her website is one anyone with sugar issues ought to be studying (https://www.sweetsavvy.com/sweeteners/summary.php?id=Agave%20Nectar).

She has been especially interested in the difference between the fructose in agave nectar and the fructose in high fructose corn syrup. Suppliers of agave say that the fructose in agave is a slow release, and does not stimulate the insulin secretion that causes blood sugar rise. High fructose corn syrup does make blood sugar rise. So Debra and her husband decided to do a "science experiment”—to see how different agaves affect blood sugar, since it is being recommended for diabetics.

On the logic that a raw agave would be closer to its natural state than one processed at higher temperatures, she selected out the brands that advertise themselves to be raw. Three brands she eliminated because they do not state they are raw were Sweet Cactus Farms, Rawganique, and Volcanic. She found that some of the raw brands also sell agave processed at higher temperatures, so she says if you want raw, check the label carefully.

Overall, the light agaves had a greater blood sugar rise than the dark agaves. The first test they did was on the cooked Madhava brand. Her husband tested one teaspoon. There was NO change. So if you eat only one teaspoon, then a diabetic could eat agave. Even when they upped the test to one tablespoon, the rise was only 10 points, and this is within the error range of the blood sugar monitor. By contrast, some others elevated blood sugar by 20 to 30 points, which is significant.

Their overall conclusion was that there is a wide variation in how different agaves affect blood sugar and if this is a concern for you, you should test various agaves in your own body to see how it responds. Take a look at this table to see what she means:

AGAVE VARIETIES % FRUCTOSE BLOOD SUGAR RISE

All of us here at the Cook’n headquarters were really jazzed about this information, because as you well know, we use, love, and sell the Blue Agave! This couldn’t have been better had we planned it (we didn’t—honest!). Here are a few of my favorite agave recipes, courtesy of Debra Lynn Dadd. If this is your first time tasting agave, prepare yourself. It’s simply wonderful—and what a gift to those of us with insulin issues!

Almond-Agave Salad Dressing
The taste of almond is a perfect complement to fruit. Add toasted chopped almonds to your salad for crunch and more almond flavor.

3/4 cup yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
agave nectar to taste
pinch of salt

Stir all the ingredients together in a bowl with a whisk or a fork. 2. Serve.