There's been a lot of controversy in the news lately about Agave Nectar and how it compares to high fructose corn syrup so I emailed Trader Joe's directly and asked them their opinion, this was the answer I got:
"...Below is some detailed information about Agave Nectar and recent concerns regarding high fructose corn syrup.
The simple nature of the organic farming and processing clearly
differentiate the product from any comparison to High Fructose Corn
Syrup. We are unsure as to why organic blue agave seems to be under
such concerted attack at the moment. It is rapidly growing in popularity
as a multi-purpose natural sweetener with consumers.
Unfortunately, our experience with those making the majority of these
attacks on blue agave is that they have little interest in a reasoned
debate as they consider 'caloric' sweeteners generally as the root of
all evil. They tend to hide behind the anonymity of the internet and
basically feed off any attempt to enter into dialogue to promote their
rather obscure objectives. We stand firmly behind our products.
Trader Joe's organic agave comes from the blue agave plant because it
produces the best-tasting agave syrup. Other agave nectars are also
marketed in the US from other plant sources. We source certified organic
blue agave nectar from several high quality producers to ensure
continuous supply and quality. In order to guarantee the products'
safety and authenticity, we conduct exhaustive audits to ensure these
suppliers are producing to our high standards.
Trader Joe's Organic Blue Agave Nectars, on a solids basis are about 75%
Fructose, 20% Dextrose and the balance is inulin and mannitol. It is a
delicious sweetener that does not spike blood sugar in the way sucrose
(from sugar beet or cane) or glucose (from corn) does. The science that
supports that is the glycemic index. It's not a 'health claim', it's a
factual product attribute of blue agave nectar.
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), despite its name, is not necessarily
high in fructose at all really. HFCS is just corn syrup (glucose being
the major sugar), with a higher proportion of fructose in it to make it
sweeter and less viscous. To produce HFCS, the glucose/fructose ratio is
controlled to meet food manufacturers' needs for bulking and viscosity
but it rarely exceeds 55%. It is the higher levels of glucose in HFCS
and conventional table sugar (sucrose) that spike blood sugar levels.
Agave syrup also differs from HFCS in that it taps the naturally
occurring fructose available in the agave inulin. HFCS, in contrast, is
a highly manufactured product that is chemically produced from the
starch of the genetically modified carbohydrate feedstock - corn.
Leaving the GMO issue aside, the intensive farming practices used to
grow that corn, we believe are unsustainable. HFCS is a ubiquitous,
cheap sweetener and the main ingredient of most poor quality food and
drinks sold in the USA. We also do not allow the use of HFCS in any
private label Trader Joe's product.
By contrast, the organic blue agave plants are hand-grown by
hard-working Mexican farmers and harvested in a variety of conditions.
The organic agave syrup manufacturing gives these farmers an alternate
buyer to the dominant tequila factories in the Jalisco region that are
the main purchasers of the blue agave plants. Therefore, it gives these
farmers the opportunity to earn higher returns from their labor along
with an incentive to embrace sustainable, organic farming and
agriculture... "
Here's another great article explaining fructose, high fructose corn syrup and how agave nectar compares. It also explains the process in which both are made:
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/agave-nectar/
"...Below is some detailed information about Agave Nectar and recent concerns regarding high fructose corn syrup.
The simple nature of the organic farming and processing clearly
differentiate the product from any comparison to High Fructose Corn
Syrup. We are unsure as to why organic blue agave seems to be under
such concerted attack at the moment. It is rapidly growing in popularity
as a multi-purpose natural sweetener with consumers.
Unfortunately, our experience with those making the majority of these
attacks on blue agave is that they have little interest in a reasoned
debate as they consider 'caloric' sweeteners generally as the root of
all evil. They tend to hide behind the anonymity of the internet and
basically feed off any attempt to enter into dialogue to promote their
rather obscure objectives. We stand firmly behind our products.
Trader Joe's organic agave comes from the blue agave plant because it
produces the best-tasting agave syrup. Other agave nectars are also
marketed in the US from other plant sources. We source certified organic
blue agave nectar from several high quality producers to ensure
continuous supply and quality. In order to guarantee the products'
safety and authenticity, we conduct exhaustive audits to ensure these
suppliers are producing to our high standards.
Trader Joe's Organic Blue Agave Nectars, on a solids basis are about 75%
Fructose, 20% Dextrose and the balance is inulin and mannitol. It is a
delicious sweetener that does not spike blood sugar in the way sucrose
(from sugar beet or cane) or glucose (from corn) does. The science that
supports that is the glycemic index. It's not a 'health claim', it's a
factual product attribute of blue agave nectar.
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), despite its name, is not necessarily
high in fructose at all really. HFCS is just corn syrup (glucose being
the major sugar), with a higher proportion of fructose in it to make it
sweeter and less viscous. To produce HFCS, the glucose/fructose ratio is
controlled to meet food manufacturers' needs for bulking and viscosity
but it rarely exceeds 55%. It is the higher levels of glucose in HFCS
and conventional table sugar (sucrose) that spike blood sugar levels.
Agave syrup also differs from HFCS in that it taps the naturally
occurring fructose available in the agave inulin. HFCS, in contrast, is
a highly manufactured product that is chemically produced from the
starch of the genetically modified carbohydrate feedstock - corn.
Leaving the GMO issue aside, the intensive farming practices used to
grow that corn, we believe are unsustainable. HFCS is a ubiquitous,
cheap sweetener and the main ingredient of most poor quality food and
drinks sold in the USA. We also do not allow the use of HFCS in any
private label Trader Joe's product.
By contrast, the organic blue agave plants are hand-grown by
hard-working Mexican farmers and harvested in a variety of conditions.
The organic agave syrup manufacturing gives these farmers an alternate
buyer to the dominant tequila factories in the Jalisco region that are
the main purchasers of the blue agave plants. Therefore, it gives these
farmers the opportunity to earn higher returns from their labor along
with an incentive to embrace sustainable, organic farming and
agriculture... "
Here's another great article explaining fructose, high fructose corn syrup and how agave nectar compares. It also explains the process in which both are made:
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/agave-nectar/
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