The birthplace of blue agave, from which the world famous tequila drink is made, is Mexico. Juice for its preparation is obtained from large fruits of the plant, reaching 90 kilograms by weight. Now more and more often this drought-tolerant plant is grown in domesticated conditions. Blue agave is used not only for tequila, but also for the preparation of tasty and healthy syrup.
Agave Syrup Description
Agave syrup or nectar appeared on the shelves of domestic stores relatively recently, but immediately received the recognition of supporters of a healthy diet. Later it was appreciated by those who are actively fighting overweight.
Blue agave syrup has a fairly simple production technology. For its preparation, juice is first extracted from the fruits of the plant. Then it is heated to a certain temperature and slowly evaporated to obtain a thick, viscous consistency, which is inherent in most syrups. The shade of nectar also depends on the duration of the heat treatment. The options are from light yellow, amber to dark brown.
The consistency of agave syrup is very similar to honey. But the taste of nectar is a little different, special. Sweet syrup has a pronounced creamy aftertaste with pleasant notes of caramel. It is good both as an independent product, and as one of the ingredients in desserts and pastries.
Chemical composition
Agave syrup contains a large amount of essential vitamins: A, groups B, E, K, PP. There are many important minerals in it, such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, copper, iron, phosphorus, selenium and manganese. Such a rich composition allows the use of agave syrup as an effective immunomodulating agent. It is not only natural, but also a useful substitute for sugar.
Fructose in the composition of nectar helps to accelerate metabolism, remove toxins from the body. When used in large quantities, syrup has a laxative effect on the body. It is recommended for people suffering from constipation.
Agave syrup does not contain proteins, fats - less than 1 gram, carbohydrates - 75 grams.
Calorie content and glycemic index
The calorie content of agave syrup is 310 kcal per 100 grams. This is even less than that found in regular sugar - 370 kcal. And this is not the only advantage of nectar obtained from the agave plant.
Its juice has a glycemic index of about 20-27 units. Such a low value of the indicator is explained by the composition of the product. It contains 90% fructose with a low glycemic index and 10% glucose. That is why agave syrup is positioned as a diabetic product. For comparison, the glycemic index of sugar is 70 units.
Benefit and harm
Thanks to its rich vitamin and mineral composition, agave syrup is very beneficial for the body. It even has a number of advantages over other sweeteners.
- Agave syrup is sweeter than sugar. And this means that, despite almost the same calorie content, it needs to be added to dishes or drinks in smaller quantities. Careful body care and dental health is ensured.
- For people with impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes, agave syrup is a safe sweet. This is explained by the content of inulin nectar, a polysaccharide that helps lower cholesterol and blood glucose. Organic matter has the same sweet taste as fructose.
- Agave nectar has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Due to the presence of fructose, the syrup is effective in constipation. It carefully cleanses the body of toxins. Inulin in the syrup acts as a prebiotic. It helps to increase the number of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in the intestine.
- Agave juice removes not only toxins and toxins, but also excess fluid from the body. Therefore, it will be useful in diets.
- The rich vitamin and mineral composition of the product provides excellent prevention of viral diseases and strengthens the immune system.
Agave syrups have practically no contraindications, but its use should be limited:
- everyone suffering from allergies;
- women planning a pregnancy, because the juice of the plant negatively affects the production of eggs;
- overweight people.
Excessive consumption of nectar can lead to rapid weight gain, causing diarrhea and abdominal pain.
Contraindications to the use of syrup are liver and gall bladder diseases, type 1 diabetes mellitus and diseases associated with impaired hormone production.
What is the difference between dark and light agave syrup?
The color of agave syrup may vary depending on the time of preparation. The longer the nectar is evaporated, the more dense and dark it is. The taste of the product in different colors is also not the same.
Light syrup is more reminiscent of flower honey. It has a soft, slightly caramel flavor. It can be added to cold cocktails or to ice cream. Dark nectar is used in the preparation of sauces or marinades for main dishes. It will make the taste of the dish more piquant and interesting.
Amber-colored agave syrup
is suitable for pastry and other pastries. They replace sugar in traditional recipes.
Customer reviews
Agave syrup is not yet widespread in Russia. But customers who have tried it remember to leave product reviews. Positive comments confirm that the syrup:
- has a natural composition;
- economically consumed because it is sweeter than sugar;
- does not have a pronounced taste and is suitable for preparing not only desserts, but also main dishes;
- low glycemic index;
- safe sweetness for diabetics.
Customers like the taste of the product and its effect on the body.
Agave syrup, reviews of which are mostly positive, was not appreciated by all buyers. They note such shortcomings:
- high price for a small volume;
- it thickens when cold, and squeezing it out of the bottle becomes very difficult.
Positive reviews prevail over negative comments, which means that syrup is one of the best sugar substitutes available.
Natural agave syrup: price
One of the disadvantages of agave syrup is the price. Not everyone can afford to buy this product, despite all its positive taste and healthy qualities. On average, the price for a small bottle of 300 ml is 400-500 rubles. Compared to the cost of sugar, this is a lot. And even considering that agave syrup is sweeter, it still turns out quite expensive.
The best option for buying nectar is to order it in foreign online stores. In this case, you can save at least a hundred rubles and get a natural product produced directly in Mexico.
The use of syrup in cooking
Agave syrup is a real sweetener. It is added to tea and coffee, used instead of sugar in the preparation of other hot and cold drinks, various cocktails, jelly, stewed fruit.
The syrup contains glucose, which is the main component of the fermentation reaction. And this means that sugar can easily be replaced with such juice in the preparation of pastries and other confectionery products. You only need to adjust the classic recipe, given the taste of the syrup extracted from the agave plant. Its juice is one and a half times sweeter than sugar. Thus, syrup must be added to the recipe 1.5 times less. If the list of ingredients contains 1 cup of sugar, then agave juice will need 2/3 cup or even ½.
Agave syrup is a tasty and healthy alternative to sugar. Using it instead of sugar for tea and in cooking when cooking, you can improve well-being, strengthen immunity and easily lose a few extra pounds.