Agave Nectar 101

With the recent celebration of Cinco de Mayo, you’ve probably heard the term “agave” being tossed around when referring to cocktails like margaritas. The ingredient is frequently talked about, but not many know exactly what it is and how it’s used. Here’s a quick guide on agave nectar to fill you in:

What is it?
Agave nectar is derived from the succulent plant known as agave. The entire plant, which grows in the southern and western portions of the U.S. as well as tropical South America, can be eaten. The flowers are often used in salads, while the stalks can be roasted to provide a unique sweet flavor. The agave nectar, however, can be found in the flower shoots of the plant.

How is it used?
Agave nectar is frequently used to produce Mexican tequila and is great in cocktails like margaritas because it doesn’t crystallize like regular sugar does. However, agave nectar has a number of different uses. It can be substituted for sugar in various recipes, used for a sweetener on pancakes or waffles and can enhance the flavor of fresh fruit without interfering with the natural flavor.

The health impacts of agave nectar
Because agave nectar has a sweet taste with a low glycemic index, some people like to replace sugar with the nectar in both food and drink recipes. For instance, if you’re making a chocolate cake, you should use about 1/3 cup of agave nectar for every cup of sugar that is called for in the recipe. The measurement is significantly less purely because agave is a liquid ingredient and sugar is dry.

Agave nectar contains a number of healthy ingredients, including fructans and saponins. These are both found in many plant roots and can reduce inflammation and even boost the immune system. Agave also contains inulin, a type of fiber that can suppress your appetite for a trim waistline. The fiber has also been linked with a lower cholesterol.

Agave nectar, however, contains more calories per teaspoon than white sugar. Although agave is actually much sweeter than traditional sugar, so you don’t need to use as much of it in order to flavor your drinks or your food.

Tips for cooking with agave
When using agave nectar in your cooking, there are a few simple tips you should keep in mind:

Reduce your oven’s temperature: Agave nectar browns much faster than traditional sugars, so it’s important that you reduce the oven temperature about 25 degrees lower than what your recipe calls for.

Use parchment paper: Agave tends to be stickier than normal sugar, so parchment paper can be handy in preventing cookies and other baked goods from adhering to the baking sheet. Enroll in baking courses online to learn more about how to cook with agave nectar.