A Very Short Rant

I really don't enjoy ranting at all, but sometimes it just must be done. There's an emerging trend regarding agave nectar that really concerns me -- people referring to it as "sugar-free" or referring to foods containing it as "sugar-free." It's simply not true, and could potentially harm people who think they can use a bunch of it because someone said it's "sugar-free."

Mind you, people with health issues like diabetes should be reading labels and doing their own research when it comes to putting things into their bodies. And, a writer is not responsible for those folks not doing their own homework. However, it is irresponsible for a writer not to do his or her homework and to tout agave nectar as "sugar-free" because it's not.

According to Dr. Cheryl Mitchell, who published "The Use of Nutritive Sweeteners in Organic Food Processing Operations," agave nectar comprises 70% fructose and 30% glucose, two naturally occurring sugars. Dr. Mitchell's bio reads: "Dr. Cheryl Mitchell is recognized as a world authority on sweeteners, rice processing, and the extraction and metabolism of inulin."

In this excerpt, Dr. Mitchell describes the metabolic differences between fructose and glucose:



That said, I'm really happy that folks are discovering how wonderful agave nectar is. It just would be beneficial to their readers to understand the bigger dietary picture.