Blue Agave: Is This Sugar Substitute What You Think It Is?
By RTalloni
Agave Sweetener: Information with a Recipe
If you haven’t heard of using agave as a sweetener just yet then you are probably not familiar with the supposed source of this delicious sugar substitute, much less it's amazing taste.
Well, here's a quick look at the scoop:
• Even though it is cactus-like, agave is not cacti.
• It is a succulent that is at home in southern and tropical areas of the USA.
• It's also a fantastic sugar substitute that works well in most recipes.
• It has some valuable health benefits, as well.
Now that you are in the know about agave and its advantages, read on for more info about using this gift from nature. You might be pleasantly surprised!
An Ancient Sweetener is a New Product--Check Out Agave!
I was hesitant to try agave because I’ve never found a sweetener for my coffee that I like better than sugar. Using stevia in anything fruity such as lemonade or desserts makes my taste buds dance, but neither the raw or any of the packaged brands work in my coffee. Honey is also great in most drinks and foods as far as I’m concerned, but it doesn’t do it for my coffee either.
Of course, artificial sweeteners are out of the question, so it’s not that I’m closed to trying unusual natural sweeteners. It’s just that I had not found another sweetener of any kind that did it for my coffee, and if you are a coffee lover, you understand. If you use a sweetener in it, its absolutely gotta’ do right by the coffee.
Eventually, my friend convinced me to try the agave in my coffee. I broke down in a weak moment, and now I’m glad I tried it. Glad because we all need to consume the healthiest foods we can and anytime we can drop the amount of sugar that we use, we are doing ourselves a huge favor, but there are some issues that we need to consider when using all sweeteners. This one is no different.
One of creation’s wonders, agave is promoted as an all natural low-glycemic sweetener that is 1 1/2 times as sweet as sugar, meaning, obviously, that even we who deal with a sweet tooth can be satisfied with less. There is some question as to whether it truly has added health benefits over sugar, and as well, whether it should be considered a low-glycemic sweetener that is safe for diabetics.
The jury is out, as they say, and more research is needed, but for the average person, agave used in moderation may be a better choice than refined white sugar. If a little sweetener is needed in a smoothie, a lemonade, or other drink, why put white sugar in it if there is a good substitute?
The agave nectar that we buy at the store is processed. Even those that advertise “raw” agave should be carefully scrutinized if you want to be sure of what you are buying. The details of its fructose content are an interesting study and if you want to check out a couple of articles on the subject go here and here, but don't stop there. Do the research for yourself in order to make the best decision for you and your family.
Well, after all that research I still wanted to know if agave products would work well in baked goods because stevia recipes must include sugar if cakes, cookies, or muffins are going to turn that appealing “done” brown color that we are so used to. After doing some fiddling around in the kitchen I discovered that it works well for baking and I came up with the following recipe as my first experiment with this sweetener.
It is a hearty, dense, easy-to-make muffin for a quick, good-for-you breakfast or snack. In the parenthesis I have included the substitutions to traditional ingredients. I use these substitutions for a variety of reasons. You may be interested in some or none of them.
Blueberry Oat Muffins Sweetened With Agave
Very Berry Blueberry Oat Muffins with Agave Sweetener
Ingredients:
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder (aluminum free)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt (celtic sea salt)
4 tablespoons milk (almond milk), very warm but not boiling
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (room temperature coconut oil)
1/4 cup blue agave
1 egg, room temperature
3/4 cup frozen blueberries.
Instructions:
• Set oven to 400˚.
• Prepare 6 muffin cups with papers, or baking spray.
• Stir the dry ingredients (first 5 ingredients) together.
• Mix milk and vegetable oil into dry ingredients.
• Mix in agave, then the egg.
• Sprinkle blueberries over the top of batter and stir in.
• Spoon into muffin cups and bake for approximately 21 minutes, until brown.
• Let cool for 10 minutes and remove from pan.
• Completely cooled muffins can be frozen in individual plastic bags.
Grow Agave
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Reduce and Replace Sugar in Recipes:
• A discussion of ways to reduce and replace sugar in recipes.
• A yum banana bread recipe to help you avoid white sugar.
• News about Sun Crystals and a recipe for using this sugar and stevia blend.
• Ginger Ale Banana Muffins are full of surprising substitutes!
• Do you know what xylitol is?
More About Sugar and Other Foods for Your Health:
- Almonds: Are They Really That Good For Us?
Most of us are used to the convenience of buying products like this from manufacturers and today we can easily find packages that advertise them in natural and organic forms... - Amaze Your Doc: Help Lower Cholesterol With Fresh Ground Flax Seed!
His eyes narrowed, The only time we get readings like this is when people dont fast for one of their tests. I assured him that I had fasted properly for both tests. - 10 Tips to improve the Nutrition content in your Recipe
These choices are actually pretty easy to make. I have had a battle over the years with my weight due to a thyroid condition and have found that lowering three things helped me to shed the weight and keep it off for good... - Whole Wheat Apple Muffins: A Healthy Choice
- CCCorner's Oatmeal Pancakes
What makes this recipe unique is that oatmeal is made with whole or low fat milk and then added to the rest of the dry ingredients. - Buy Agave Nectar in Bulk and Save
Wholesome agave in bulk.
Blueberry Info Will Make You Want To Eat Them!
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Compare Agave:
Let Us Know--Is Agave For You?
It is an interesting study. I think Costco carries two kinds. Thanks bunches for coming by with your input!
I have never tried agave and I don't use sugar in my coffee but I would like to try it and baked goods. Your recipe sounds very good so I'm going to look for when I go to the store and make some muffins. Thanks for the information.
Thanks for the recipe, I have never heard of agave before. I guess I am fortunate that as the coffee lover I am, that I prefer it without sugar, but curious to try agave out in the kitchen. Thanks for sharing.
I haven't tied it yet but think I will. Great information. Your recipe looks delicious. I will be trying it.
So, Pamela, you are a straight-on coffee drinker! I'm afraid I have a bit of a sweet-tooth. :)
Thanks so much for stopping in. Always appreciate your input.
rpalulis:
You are welcome. It was interesting to experiment with agave and learn about it. Thanks kindly for stopping by with your comments.
KoffeeK Gals: Thanks so much! Appreciate your coming by and commenting. Hope you like the muffins! :)
We use Agave Nectar! It's great. For me honey has a "flavor" rather than just a sweetness to it, but I don't find that in the Agave Nectar as much. Our whole wheat bread calls for honey, but I can really taste it in the bread, so I substitute agave nectar using half the amount. I look forward to trying your recipe. I may just have everything I need to make them now-ish. My 4 year old loves the chance to bake! Thanks!
Somehow I have associated agave with alcohol. Thanks for some excellent info here.
The Frog
Have tried other sweetner, they never taste as good as sugar, don't think that product is here yet. Would be nice to give it a try and see if it is a good substitute.
I've been using agave for a while, and I really like it. I've recently been introduced to Stevia, and that's something that I want to experiment with more.
Ashlea B:
I agree about honey, although I like it in some breads. Thanks for sharing your agave to honey ratio. Hope your little guy likes his muffins. :) Thanks bunches for stopping by with your input.
T F P:
Somehow, even though there may be problems with processed agave, it is probably still better for you than tequila.
Thanks much for hopping by and sharing your ribbit!
sangre:
"Sweeter than sugar" does not mean tastes like sugar, does it? :)
Thanks kindly for stopping in with your comment!
mark_bradshaw:
Thanks much for your input. I've recently highlighted a stevia product called Sun Crystals that you might be interested in. There are a wide variety of sweeteners to choose from and I want to be sure I'm using the healthiest ones.
Appreciate your stopping by very much!
Great informative hub as always R., I have never used it but now that I know something about it I will! It can really be confusing since the information we get as consumers always has a sales incentive...
Thanks so much for sharing!
So glad this was helpful, Chatkath! It's kind of fun to ask knowledgable questions of the experts who act like they know so much about their products, but we need to help each other stay informed so we can be ready for them :)
Appreciated this information, and I'm always interested in recipes using agave nectar. Wholesome Sweeteners agave nectar is the best one out there, and I advertise it on one of my hubs. If I'm only using it to sweeten my morning cup of tea, I'm not overdoing it! I cannot stand stevia, so the agave is a good substitute for sugar. I have cut back on all sweets for the last 2 months, and I feel better because of it.
Thanks so much for this information. I'll be checking out your hub on agave--thanks for mentioning it! It's interesting to study the way it is processed and what the labels actually mean. Keeping the amount of sugar we eat to a minimum is smart business.
Very much appreciate your coming by with your input!
I have never tried agave, and we use honey for our coffee. I think your suggestion to try it with baking is great. My husband loves blueberry muffin, but I’ll try your recipe for a change. I guess sometimes change is good. Your hub is informative and useful. The video is also informative. Thumbs up!
A lot of friends use honey in their coffee, but I just can't get used to it. I hope you both like the muffin recipe, for a change. :)
Thanks so much for your visit and your comments!
thanks for the great information and the intersting links to the other articles I really learned a lot from this
So glad that you visited and commented, but mostly that you found the hub to be a learning experience. Appreciate your stopping by!
I substitute agave whenever I can, we love it. Your recipes always sound so wonderful. I think one day I will stay home and become RTalloni the baker and try all of your recipes! Thanks for the link and I am reciprocating.
cardelean:
Oh, you make me laugh--and I needed to tonight! :) Thanks bunches for your kind comments! Agave is my most versatile sweetener at this point. There's a lot to love about it and I'm glad you are getting to do so. :)
This is an excellent resource for understanding what agave is and why it is a different sweetener with certain benefits. Glad you wrote it! I linked to here from my latest hub on an oil-free salad dressing for those who are following the Eat To Live program. Up, all the way!
One more thing...a friend of mine who has diabetes and is also a supreme baker recently discovered that she could modify all of her baking recipes with agave and still keep her sugar levels, level. Obviously, she can't eat two slices of pie for any reason in any way, but with agave, she can have a small portion with no problem.
Her baked goods are outstanding, but they are less sweet than one would expect, and this is refreshing!
I think there's a lot of experimentation that needs to be done with agave, and all of it will be worthwhile.
Sally's Trove:
So glad you found this info on agave sweetener helpful--thanks much for stopping in!
Am in the middle of updating my hubs with info I learned about using links correctly and I just saw your oil-dree salad as I was double-checking my updates. I was already looking forward to checking it out shortly--thanks bunches for the link.
Sally's Trove:
Thanks for letting us know of your diabetic friends positive experience with agave! That's exciting and you are right, the more we experiment the more we will learn of its valuable uses. Do you think your friend would let you publish some of her recipes? If you do I would like to link them here.
What a good suggestion. I'll have to talk to her and see what she thinks of this. I think she's on to something very good but hasn't thought about sharing it through writing. Thanks so much for the idea!
I am now officially conflicted on blue agave, which I have been using for 5 years or so.
I found a stevia blend that I could like (Truvia -- it's good, and I'm used to it now).
I still do squirt a little agave nectar occasionally into my hot tea to help round out the flavor. But presently, I'm trying very hard to limit my consumption of fructose, which agave is, or table sugar, or high-fructose corn syrup.
I've also gone wheat free, and I will write a hub about this, but anyway, I do appreciate your experiences and your hubs with the recipes, RTalloni.
Sally's Trove:
I'm looking forward to those recipe hubs! Thanks for checking out this blue agave information.
gracenotes:
I'm so glad that the stevia blend suits your needs. We use it especially for teas that need a little sweetener, and some baking--though that requires a little agave or sugar. It's my opinion that some diabetics can tolerate agave better than others, at least that how it seems from reports I've read. That's not surprising really, none of us nor our needs are all the same!
So glad you have benefitted from my gluten free hubs. I'm looking forward to your hub on going wheat free. Recipes, we hope!? :)
Thanks much for coming by--always good to hear from you!
nightbear 12 months ago
Very nice education here, I was fearful to try it. but I noticed it at the local Costco recently. Maybe I should get over my hesitation. Thanks