Why you should avoid Agave Nectar:

While doing some research on sugar for my next design project, I stumbled on a lot of information about agave nectar. I always heard that agave nectar is great for you - until I started reading about/eating Paleo. I pulled this great explanation off of simplywellnutrition.com.

” Did you know that Agave nectar contains 70-90% fructose? This is more fructose than high fructose corn syrup! Agave nectar is made typically by harvesting Blue Agave plants that resemble cactus or yuccas. The juice, found in the core of the plant called the pina, contains high levels of starch or polysaccharides. The juice is either heated or enzymes are added to break the starches down into simple sugars (fructose and glucose).

Agave nectar has a lower Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load (how fast it raises your blood sugar) than table sugar due to its high fructose content. But high fructose is not good. Fructose can only be processed through your liver, unlike glucose. When you overload your system with fructose, specific enzymes in your liver are activated that convert the fructose into FAT. This is not good! It will raise your triglyceride levels in your bloodstream, contribute to weight gain and cause insulin resistance. This is bad news across the board.”