Agave Cactus Natural Sweetner

We use the awesome organic Agave cactus and Vegetable Glycerine as a sweeter with our Liquid Chocolate Herbals.

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.


Agave has a glycemic index of only 27! glycemic index measures how high your blood sugar rises when you eat certain foods. Corn Flakes, for example, have a glycemic index of 119; White bread=112, Rice=83, Honey=83, Apple=54, peas=32, and Agave=.......only 27!!!

So, as far as your body is concerned, there is three times more sugar in rice than there is in Agave.

That's great news for people with Diabetes or anyone who wants to lower their blood sugar level. We all know that refined sugar is bad for us but until now there hasn't been a tasty, natural alternative.