Agave nectar (or agave syrup) is an all-natural liquid sweetener made from the blue agave plant (which also makes tequila). It is often touted as a healthy alternative sweetener, but is it really better than honey or other natural sweeteners?
What is agave nectar?
- What Is Agave Syrup? Here’s How to Use This Vegan Sweetener in Your Recipes, According to Experts (Martha Stewart – January 9, 2023)
- What Is Agave Syrup? (The Spruce Eats – September 28, 2022)
- Agave Syrup: Chemical Analysis and Nutritional Profile, Applications in the Food Industry and Health Impacts (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health – June 2022)
- What Is Agave Syrup and What Makes It Such a Sweet Alternative to Honey or Sugar? (Vegetarian Times – February 22, 2022)
- What is Agave Syrup? (Food Insight – January 22, 2021)
- Agave Syrup (BBC Good Food)
- How to use agave nectar & syrup (Taste)
How is it different from honey?
- Honey vs. Agave: What’s the Difference? (EatingWell – July 6, 2023)
- Agave Nectar vs. Honey: Which Is Healthier? (Healthline – October 31, 2022)
- Agave vs. Honey: How They Compare, According to Dietitians (Verywell Fit – March 29, 2022)
- Food Fight: Agave vs. Honey (Food Network – 2012)
Is it healthy?
- Agave is an increasingly popular substitute for honey and sugar. But is it healthy? (USA Today – December 15, 2023)
- Agave Nectar: A Sweetener That’s Even Worse Than Sugar? (Healthline – September 7, 2023)
- Agave Is a Natural Sweetener—But Is It Healthier Than Sugar? We Asked Nutritionists (Real Simple – August 9, 2023)
- Is agave syrup the best sweetener for diabetes? (MedicalNewsToday – August 2, 2023)
- Contributions of agaves to human health and nutrition (Food Bioscience – June 2023)
- Is agave syrup healthy? (BBC Good Food – April 14, 2023)
- Agave: Are There Health Benefits? (WebMD – January 3, 2023)
- Agave syrup as a replacement for sucrose: An exploratory review (Functional Foods in Health and Disease – October 24, 2022)
- Agave syrup: An alternative to conventional sweeteners? A review of its current technological applications and health effects (LWT – June 1, 2022)
- The Truth About Agave Nectar and Diabetes (Verywell Health – April 3, 2022)
- The role of agave fructans in health and food applications: A review (Trends in Food Science and Technology – August 2021)
- Is Agave Nectar Healthier Than Sugar? (EatingWell – November 4, 2019)
- Agave Syrup and Diabetes: New Things to Know (Healthline – April 19, 2019)
- Effects of Agave Nectar Versus Sucrose on Weight Gain, Adiposity, Blood Glucose, Insulin, and Lipid Responses in Mice (Journal of Medicinal Food – September 4, 2014)
- Is Agave Healthy or Bad for You? (MedicineNet)