Agave syrup

I am not a big fan of agave, though it does have a subtle sweetness that many find appealing. The products are usually sold as 'a natural alternative' to sugar and even the health conscious get lured towards the organic options. Agave syrup is made from the mexican cactus like plant of the same name. The sap is tapped and used to make the syrup. It is not natural as it needs to be converted to a higher fructose sugar which usually is done through bacterial hydrolysis. Most agave is 70% fructose. Many assume because it is a naturally occuring fruit sugar this makes it healthy. Just remember normal table sugar is drawn from cane and beet, also naturally occuring and contains about 50% fructose. There has been a lot of research on fructose in recent years and much of that in the last 10 years has not thrown up good results and it is now considered a poor alternative for health or for diabetics.