Customer Reviews

Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Raw Blue Agave, 44 Ounce Bottle (Pack of 2)

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We all know that too much sugar, or fructose, is bad for you. And that includes agave, which is concentrated fructose. However, I like the taste of agave, especially as compared to other sugar substitutes, and I can use less of it than sugar (see below). It has a lower glycemic index (meaning the body metabolizes it slower reducing the risk of an insulin spike), and it is natural rather than chemically engineered like high fructose corn syrup. The key to all sugars is moderation. Unfortunately, almost all baked or processed foods that we buy are loaded with sugars, especially high fructose corn syrup. At least by baking my own foods I can have more control over my family's sugar consumption and I am happy to have found agave so that when I do occasionally bake sweets, at least I can use less of it.

Raw organic blue agave is not chemically processed as some have indicated. It is the pure juice from the blue agave plant. The juice is extracted by stripping the leaves of the plant, then chopping up the bulbous base of the plant which is heated to no more than 118° to get the juice flowing. The actual extraction is accomplished through centrifugal force and the juice obtained is then bottled. (I should mention there are other processes that can be used which would entail heating to a higher temperature, but which still results in juice without additives--although any natural enzymes would be killed at higher heat.) Blue agave has a glycemic index of 11 as compared to sugar which is 68-85. Calories are the same as sugar but it takes half as much to three quarters as much agave to be as sweet as sugar, meaning less calories for the same sweetness.

Compare this process to how High Fructose Corn Syrup is made. Corn kernels are soaked in warm water along with sulfur dioxide (a toxic gas). This makes it easier to separate the starch, hull, protein and oil components. The kernals are then milled wet to remove the oil. The remaining corn starch is washed. Next, three types of genetically-engineered enzymes are added to the resulting starch and water mixture. This breaks down the starch into glucose and fructose to create the desired balance of the two. The final step is an evaporation process to obtain the desired consistency.

So, you decide. Agave, (which does retain some minerals and nutrients found in the agave plant), highly refined table sugar with no nutrients, chemically engineered high fructose corn syrup, chemical sugar substitutes, which may have side effects or health risks, or other sweeteners such as Stevia, which is natural but leaves a bitter aftertaste?

Anyone with or WITHOUT insulin issues should use this in place of table sugar or artificial sugars! It taste like a good maple syrup, with half the calories and a very low glycemic load. I use this in my hot tea, over fresh fruit, in baking recipes, etc. It has endless possibilities.

As for price, you cannot beat the price here on Amazon! I order this two pack for the price of 8 bottles at Whole Foods. Try a smaller bottle from WF and if you like it, come back here to Amazon to save BIG.

Agave syrup (nectar) is basically high-fructose corn syrup masquerading as a health food.

Agave nectar has a low-glycemic index for one reason only: it's largely made of fructose, which although it has a low-glycemic index, is probably the single most damaging form of sugar when used as a sweetener. With the exception of pure liquid fructose, agave nectar has the highest fructose content of any commercial sweetener.

All sugar -- from table sugar to HFCS (high-fructose corn syrup) to honey -- contains some mixture of fructose and glucose. Table sugar is 50/50, HFCS is 55/45. Agave nectar is a whopping 90 percent fructose, almost -- but not quite -- twice as high as High Fructose Corn Syrup!!!!

Based on the labeling, I could picture native peoples creating their own agave nectar from the wild agave plants. Surely, this was a traditional food, eaten for thousands of years. Sadly, it is not.

Native Mexican peoples do make a sort of sweetener out of the agave plant. It's called miel de agave, and it's made by boiling the agave sap for a couple of hours. Think of it as the Mexican version of authentic Canadian maple syrup.

But this is not what agave nectar is. According to one popular agave nectar manufacturer, "Agave nectar is a newly created sweetener, having been developed in the 1990s." In a recent article now posted on the Weston A. Price foundation's website, Ramiel Nagel and Sally Fallon Morell write,

Agave "nectar" is not made from the sap of the yucca or agave plant but from the starch of the giant pineapple-like, root bulb. The principal constituent of the agave root is starch, similar to the starch in corn or rice, and a complex carbohydrate called inulin, which is made up of chains of fructose molecules.Technically a highly indigestible fiber, inulin, which does not taste sweet, comprises about half of the carbohydrate content of agave.

The process by which agave glucose and inulin are converted into "nectar" is similar to the process by which corn starch is converted into HFCS. The agave starch is subject to an enzymatic and chemical process that converts the starch into a fructose-rich syrup--anywhere from 70 percent fructose and higher according to the agave nectar chemical profiles posted on agave nectar websites.

"Agave syrup is almost all fructose, highly processed sugar with great marketing," said Dr. Ingrid Kohlstadt, a fellow of the American College of Nutrition and an associate faculty member at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. "Fructose interferes with healthy metabolism when (consumed) at higher doses", she told me. "Many people have fructose intolerance like lactose intolerance. They get acne or worse diabetes symptoms even though their blood [sugar] is OK".

Agave nectar syrup is a triumph of marketing over science. True, it has a low-glycemic index, but so does gasoline -- that doesn't mean it's good for you.

If you simply must have some sweets, a small amount of agave nectar every once in a while isn't going to kill you. Just don't buy into the idea that it's any better for you than plain old sugar or HFCS.

Info is taken from Jonny Bowden, PhD, C.N.S.


So please. I implore each and every one of you to do your own research on this sham of a product and tell everyone you know. Write letters and let the world know that we won't fall prey to loopholes in "Organic Marketing". The fact that so many people use this because they are diabetic is quite frightening.

Organic Raw Agave is usually way over priced. Since I use it almost exclusivity as a sweetener in my raw food prep, I found it price-challenging when buying it at my local markets. Then I found this offering on Amazon.com. I get it auto-shipped each month, so I don't have to worry about running out. Now I pay a fraction of the price I used to pay. I did a taste comparison and it tastes exactly the sames as the pricier ones.

My wife and I have been using agave nectar in the place of sugar for over a year now and we absolutely love it. We typically use it in our coffee and tea, and it truly have a great flavor and is very sweet, which is great as it doesn't take very much to sweeten things...

I would recommend this to anyone who uses sugar and would like to try an alternative to table sugar.

I had used THIS product for over 2 years. During that time I gained 20 pounds although I was eating a healthy diet (besides adding this agave nectar). I gained the weight mostly in my stomach. My doctor and I were at a loss as to what was causing the weight gain. My cholesterol and triglycerides went up as well as my liver enzymes. A friend told me that this product was made essentially the same way HFCS is made. I didn't want to believe him! I investigated several sources and found that I had been duped about this product. I threw an unopened case (6 bottles) in the garbage. Since then, March 3, 2010, I have lost 10 of the pounds gained (thankfully from my stomach) and and am having fewer problems with swelling and bloating of my hands and feet. I won't know about the cholesterol or the liver enzymes until my next physical. This is a High Fructose "created" sweetener, up to 90% fructose compared to 50-55% found in HFCS. I for one won't let HFCS or HFAN into my house.

I know a lot of people don't want to hear this, but fructose is a major cause of metabolic syndrome, gout, and many other conditions. It doesn't go into your blood stream so it doesn't raise blood glucose, but it doesn't just go away; it goes to your liver and is turned to triglycerides.

High fructose corn syrup is only about half fructose. Agave is almost pure fructose, so it is twice as bad. Fructose is fructose whether it comes from cactus or corn.

How sweet it is! Diabetics rejoice! This is a sweetner with us in mind. No more spiking, crashing, burning! Being raw and vegan make this additionally desirable and great for everybody! ENJOY!!!

Firstly, the product itself - good taste, excellent sweetener, easy to use. It is sort of expensive, so I only buy it on sale. I prefer honey for most sweetening applications, but the agave nectar is actually easier to use, as it is somewhat less viscous and dissolves more easily.

On another note, I have never had trouble with the packaging, which is often a problem with gooey liquid items from Amazon. There are seals under the bottle tops, plus shrink wrap over the tops, and the bottles also come shrinkwrapped together. As always, be careful in ordering liquid products through the mail. A rotting box of leaking goo is the bane of the delivery worker and an unwelcome addition to your doorstep.

Thirdly, this product comes in other sizes/packaging. I recommend exploring all options to get the best price, and consider Subscribe and Save as well. We can use regular shipments here at our house anyway, since we seldom use granulated sugar.

The best agave out there and for the best possible price. If you need to use a sweetener that doesn't raise blood sugar, or you wish to go more organic and get away from refined sugars, this is the way to go. All thumbs up on this one. Order with confidence!