Agave Warnings

Agave nectar is made from the agave plant.

There are over 200 species of the agave plant. They typically grow as small, shrub like plants with fat leaves that end in pointy tips. Agave plants are indigenous to the southern United States and Mexico. Agaves are generally harvested for the sweet nectar located in the fleshy heart of the plant. The nectar is sold as a healthy natural sweetener comparable to honey; however there have been several disputes as to whether or not the nectar is healthy or natural.

Lacks Levulose

Levulose is a naturally occurring sugar found in fruits and certain plants. Levulose binds to other naturally occurring sugars, and is digested in the intestine. It contains necessary enzymes, minerals, fiber, vitamins and fruit pectin, making levulose a healthy alternative to sugar. Although agave in it's natural state contains levulose, when it is turned into agave nectar the levulose is transformed into fructose which can bring harmful health effects.

Contains Fructose

In order to make the sweetener known as agave nectar, the nectar from the plant is heated, refined, clarified, chemically altered and converted into the sweetener called fructose. The body doesn't recognize fructose, because it lacks vitamins, amino acids, minerals, fiber and pectin. Because the body isn't sure how to process fructose, it digests the sweetener through the liver rather than through the intestine. Because fructose is missing essential vitamins and minerals necessary for digestion, the liver robs these nutrients from other parts of the body in order to process the sweetener.

Affects Copper Metabolism

The fructose levels found in agave nectar hinders the heart's ability to use magnesium, chromium and copper which stops collagen and elastin, the tissues that connect the body, from forming. Copper deficiency also causes anemia, fragile bones, infertility, arterial and bone defects, high cholesterol, heart attacks and the inability to regulate the body's levels of blood sugar.

Potential Heart Disease

The levels of fructose used in agave nectar can cause the body to over produce uric acid, which can indicate heart disease.

Accelerates the Aging Process

Fructose found in agave nectar has been known to cause oxidation damage and changes to skin collagen. Increased oxidation and changes in skin collagen indicate acceleration of the aging process.

Linked to Obesity

The fructose used in agave nectar can cause weight gain. Fructose is processed in the liver rather than the intestine, and converts to fat easier than other natural or refined sugars. Fructose raises blood fat levels and is an addictive sweetener, causing the consumer to eat or drink more products containing fructose than they would normally. The highly sweet taste of fructose can make healthier alternatives, like fruit, seem less appealing.

Linked to Other Diseases

The amounts of fructose found in agave nectar has also been linked to hyperlipidemia, fatty liver disease and cirrhosis of the liver, causing the liver of someone who consumes high amounts of fructose to resemble the liver of someone who consumes high amounts of alcohol.

References

• Natural Nectar: Agave Nectar- the High Fructose Health Fraud
• The Nourished Kitchen: Is Agave Healthful?
• Living Foods: Raw Agave Syrup Nectar- Not as Healthful as You May Think