What to Eat: Agave Nectar or Honey?

Holy moly! Is it seriously 8:00 p.m. already? Today flew by. I’ll take it.

Breakfast

Today began with the perfect breakfast that while cold, warmed my soul.  It began with an apple, which I gobbled up and neglected to take a picture of (Oops!). Said apple was followed up by Nature’s Path Heritage Flakes. I waited about 10 minutes to eat them, so the cereal got a little bit soggy. Any other semi-soggy cereal fans out there?

Snack

Remember yesterday, when I attempted to break out of my “breakfast rut” (which isn’t really a rut because I’m happy with my cereal obsession) with a Chocolate Brownie Pure Bar? Well, I decided to eat it today as a snack in between classes instead.

Pure Bar and dorm room window

If you haven’t tried these babies, you must. They’re high-raw, vegan, and gluten-free. This one tastes like a legit brownie. With simple ingredients and stellar nutritional stats, it’s a win-win!

Lunch

Naturally, 2 hours later, my tummy was ravenous and ready for lunch! I was craving more falafel, so I fixed myself 4 balls (heh ) with a pool of organic ketchup to eat alongside a salad mountain containing kale, broccoli, carrots, nooch, and Trader Joe’s Tuscan Italian Vinaigrette. My tummy sang a song of love.

I need to be a better photographer. But until I’m out of a dorm room (hello May!) and get a ballin’ camera, I don’t forsee that happening. Le sigh…

Dinner

Today was crazy. It was one of those days in which I felt like I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. In summation, I didn’t feel like thinking. Enter frozen dinner.

I love this Amy’s frozen dinner. No, it’s not fresh. But it’s darn delicious and totally satisfied me! The tofu combined with the spinach and mushrooms and little bit of hash brown is a party in my mouth! I like to keep a couple on hand for days like these, when I don’t feel like making anything and don’t want to mosey on over to the cafeteria.

Agave Nectar vs. Honey

For all of the foodies and nutrition professionals out there, I’m sure this will come as old news to you. This subject crossed my radar quite some time ago, and it tugged at the geeky, nutritionist-in-training heartstrings of mine as well as my morale.

Agave nectar is a syrup that is commercially extracted from the Agave plant (a spiky plant similar in nature to the cactus), located in southern Mexico. It is especially popular in the vegan sector of the cooking world as a replacement for honey. Because agave nectar is very sweet, a little goes a long way. For this reason, it has been touted as a “weight loss” tool. For example, in a recipe that calls for 2 Tbsp. of honey, you might use 1 Tbsp. of agave nectar. This will save on sugar content and calories.

Agave plant

You have heard of the glycemic index, right? The glycemic index is a scale that measures how carbohydrates affect blood sugar levels. Very starchy foods have a high GI (potatoes, white rice, white bread) while less starchy foods have a low GI (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fructose). Consuming foods with a low GI keeps our blood sugar levels stable. Consuming foods with a high GI causes our blood sugar levels to spike and quickly fall (the “crash and burn” effect), which is why we hear so much buzz about consuming lower sugar foods. They keep our energy levels stable and keep us happy!

Agave nectar has a  low glycemic index because it is made of fructose, which, as you saw above, has a low GI. For this reason, agave nectar has been marketed as a healthy sugar alternative. While agave nectar has a low glycemic index, it is hardly healthy because it is not natural, despite its origin and label. Even when marked “raw,” it isn’t always in fact raw. Horrible, right?! Agave nectar is highly processed and heated to extreme temperatures in order to achieve the consistency you see inside the plastic (or glass) bottle that it comes in. 

Source: AMomInRedHeels.com

I would recommend purchasing a raw, organic honey from a reputable local and/or sustainable source. Wait, you say, the VEGAN is recommending honey? The horror! I know, I know. But let’s think about it for a second. Bees often live for only 6 weeks! From birth, the bee’s objective is to make honey. In that short lifespan, they make honey whether we let them be (pun intended!) or not. In my opinion, it makes much more sense to support beekeepers that nurture their bees and to eat raw, organic honey instead of consuming processed sugars. 

Stay lovely,
Heather

Question of the Day: What is your take on vegans consuming honey? Do you think it is hypocritical?

I personally abstain from all animal products, except for occasionally consuming raw and/or organic honey. For example, my favorite cereal has honey it in, but because it is from Nature’s Path, a practicing organic and health-crusading brand, I allow myself that exception.

P.S. – For more valuable information on consuming wholesome honey, visit this awesome post by clinical nutritionist, Kimberly Snyder.