Agave Nectar the new natural sweetener

I found a product at HEB that I feel can be as helpful as Splenda for those of us watching our glycimex levels in food processing. I tried it straight up as a sugar substitute in iced tea, not bad but not really that appatizing. May work better like honey in hot tea. Here is some information from MadhavasAgave.com.

The raw agave juice is regularly harvested from living plants by Indian peoples native to central Mexico. To do so, they must slice off the top of the plant and hollow out its core. Then the plant is capped with a stone. The pineapple shaped agave plant secretes its nectar into the center of the plant, rather than into flowers like most plants do. It collects in the hollow center for several days, after which the milky white "juice" is removed by ladle, one plant at a time. In a way it is similar to tapping a tree for maple syrup collection. Agave nectar is a newly created sweetener, having been developed during the 1990's. Originally, the blue agave variety was used. This is the same plant used in the manufacture of tequila. During the late 90's, a shortage of blue agave resulted in huge increases in cost and a sweetener based on this plant became uneconomical. Further research was done and a method using wild agave was developed. Overcoming the language barrier between the Indians able to supply the nectar from the wild agave on their land and the Spanish speaking local manufacturer was the key that finally unlocked a supply of raw material and has led to our bringing this wonderful new product to market. Limiting glucose consumption is a contemporary concern for many people. The introduction of this new sweetener is timely as it has a relatively low glycemic index due to its higher proportion of fructose and lower levels of glucose. This fact should prove attractive to those with special diet considerations or who monitor glucose intake. Agave Nectar has many other fine qualities as well. Foremost among them are the certified purity, both organic and kosher. Also of note is the flavor. The light variety's neutral flavor will not alter the taste of the foods in which it is used making it ideal as a sweetener for coffee, tea, fruit "smoothies", and other beverages. The amber variety's mild natural flavor will lend a delicious and mysterious hint of flavor to sauces or baked goods. This sweetener is also very convenient to use, as it has a long, stable shelf life and will not solidify. It pours quickly even when cold, blends and dissolves readily in or on all foods. For baking, its moisture retention properties are comparable to those of honey. Bakers also may notice a silky, smoother texture to their goods and better definition of other natural flavors. This pure, unrefined sweetener is a great-tasting, economical alternative to all other sweeteners, granular or liquid, perfect for all around use. It has approx 1.4 x the sweetening power of white sugar. And, Agave Nectar's mild flavor doesn't vary widely which will lend a real consistency to recipes. Madhava expects Agave Nectar to become a popular, everyday contemporary sweetener. In the short time since it was introduced, shoppers have discovered that it makes a wonderful addition to their kitchen cupboards. Having a jar along with the honey jar allows one to choose whichever is more suitable for a particular use. The unique flavors and qualities of honey lend themselves to many items and uses, while agave nectar compliments others with even broader potential due to its mildness and ease of use.”

Many households enjoy the qualities of both sweeteners for different uses.

Usage tips: On fruit salad. Add dash to vinegar + oil salad dressing. In coffee or tea. Cereal Sweeten Lemonade Add to BBQ sauce. Suitable for any sweetening use. Use in any recipe. To substitute use ¾ cup agave nectar per 1 cup other sweetener.

Look For a few recipes with the Agave Necture in the near future.