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RECIPES: The Awesome Agave (TIPS, REMEDIES)

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The Awesome Agave

 

The agave (uh-gah-vay) plant has long been cultivated in hilly,

semi-arid soils of Mexico. Its fleshy leaves cover the pineapple-shaped

heart of the plant, which contains a sweet sticky juice. Ancient

Mexicans considered the plant to be sacred. They believed the liquid

from this plant purified the body and soul. When the Spaniards arrived,

they took the juices from the agave and fermented them, leading to the

drink we now call tequila.

 

But there is a more interesting use for this historic plant. Agave syrup

(or nectar) is about 90% fructose. Only recently has it come in use as a

sweetener. It has a low glycemic level and is a delicious and safe

alternative to table sugar. Unlike the crystalline form of fructose,

which is refined primarily from corn, agave syrup is fructose in its

natural form. This nectar does not contain processing chemicals. Even

better, because fructose is sweeter than table sugar, less is needed in

your recipes. It can be most useful for people who are diabetic, have

insulin resistance (Syndrome X), or are simply watching their

carbohydrate intake.

 

Fructose has a low glycemic value. However, according to some experts,

if fructose is consumed after eating a large meal that overly raises the

blood sugar or with high glycemic foods, it no longer has a low glycemic

value. Strangely enough, it will take on the value of the higher

glycemic food. So exercise restraint, even with this wonderful

sweetener. It is a good policy to eat fructose-based desserts on an

empty stomach, in between meals or with other low-glycemic foods. Use it

for an occasional treat or for a light touch of sweetness in your dishes.

 

FYI

 

* This sweetener is sometimes called " nectar " and sometimes called

" syrup " . It is the same food.

 

* The light syrup has a more neutral flavor.

 

* In recipes, use about 25% less of this nectar than you would use of

table sugar. 3/4 cup of agave nectar should equal 1 cup of table sugar.

For most recipes this rule works well.

 

* When substituting this sweetener in recipes, reduce your liquid

slightly, sometimes as much as 1/3 less.

 

* Reduce your oven temperature by 25 degrees.

 

* Agave nectar can be combined with Splenda to counter Splenda's

aftertaste and to control the amount of fructose used.

 

* The glycemic index of agave nectar is low.

 

* As a food exchange, a one-teaspoon serving of agave nectar equals a

free food. Two servings or two teaspoons equals 1/2 carbohydrate exchange.

 

http://www.shakeoffthesugar.net/article1042.html

 

***

 

Agave Syrup

 

A few weeks ago Dan wrote me an email asking about agave syrup. He had

noticed it showing up more and more often in our writing and was

wondering why we were so enamored of it. My initial response was what's

there not to love about agave syrup?

 

Agave juice was known to native Mexicans as " honey water " . Agave syrup

is made mainly from the juices extracted from the core of the agave

plant. The juices are either used as they are to create a dark agave

syrup, or they are filtered to produce lighter agave syrups. As with any

refining process, the filtered juices lose some of their nutritional

content and flavor in their metamorphosis to a more neutral flavor. The

darker syrups have a deeper, richer flavor with notes of minerals and

vanilla. The lighter syrups can be considered more versatile,

especially when used in delicately flavored recipes. After the juices

are extracted, they are heated to break down the carbohydrates. The

main carbohydrate in agave juice is comprised of a complex form of

fructose. Once the juice has broken down it is reduced to a syrupy

consistency. As with maple syrup, you can find a wide range of agave

syrups on the market ranging from a dark, almost molasses like product

to a light syrup like the one pictured above.

 

Since agave syrup is approximately 90% fructose it has a sweeter flavor

than granulated sugar. Because it tastes sweeter, you do not need to add

as much to a recipe to obtain the same level of sweetness. This makes it

an ideal product for people who are sugar sensitive or watching calories

but do not want to resort to artificial sweeteners to satisfy their

sugar cravings. Most agave syrups available in the United States are

organic, vegan and kosher making them appropriate for almost every one.

 

Aside from the health benefits, which to be honest are not why we use

agave syrup, it has a light viscosity and a high level of solubility.

This means that it is easily incorporated into other ingredients

regardless of temperature. It is perfect for bar applications as it can

be stirred into cold drinks and homogenizes easily. It's shelf stable

and does not need to be refrigerated after opening. It can be used as a

substitute for corn syrup, maple or molasses in any old fashioned

recipes and as an inverted sugar for modern applications. The light

syrup provides a clean sweet flavor that is useful for balancing recipes

in both sweet and savory applications. The darker syrups lend their own

intense flavors to dishes and can be seen as chord of their own. If you

do a bit of exploring on the Internet you can find a variety of

different agave syrups. We like Madhava for their lighter syrups and

we're still experimenting with the darker ones. But if you're looking

for an alternative sweetener to play with you should definitely pick up

some agave. We love it and hopefully so will you.

 

http://ideasinfood.typepad.com/ideas_in_food/2006/07/agave_syrup.html

 

***

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