Agave Facts & Benefits

The genus name (Agavaceae) comes from the Greek agavos, meaning stately or noble.
Agave is pronounced as "ah-gah-vay".
The agave plant is grown predominantly in Mexico but can also be found in southern and western United States and in central and tropical South America.
It is a commonly thought that agaves are cacti. In fact, they are not related to cacti, nor are they related to Aloe whose leaves are similar in appearance.
They are perennial succulents with a large rosette of thick fleshy leaves.
There are over 300 species of agave plants.
The leaves possess sharp teeth on the edges and fierce spines on the tips.
Agave plants produce tall flowering stems, but the plant is extremely slow to mature and can take from about 5 to 40 years to do so, depending on the species.
Agave rosettes are monocarpic (plants that flower, set seeds then die). While flowering, a tall stem grows from the centre of the leaf rosette and bears a large number of shortly tubular flowers. After development of fruit, the original plant dies, but suckers are produced from the base of the stem which become new plants.
Agaves are easy to grow as they only require a full sunny position and a well-drained, sandy soil.
The smaller agave plant varieties make excellent pot plants.
The most commonly grown varieties include Agave americana, Agave angustifolia, Blue agave (Agave tequilana), and Agave attenuata. Click here to view some great images of agave plants.

Agave plants have four edible parts: the flowers, the leaves, the stalks and the sap (called aguamiel—honey water).

The leaves of agave can be beaten to make fibre.
The leaves also generate a foamy material which is much like soap.
Agave leaves can be cooked to make a bland but filling meal.
When roasted, the flower stalks are sweet to taste.
With roasting and processing, a stalk can be turned into agave syrup, a natural substitute for sugar, or it can be fermented into liquor such as tequila.
The flowers of agave plants are also edible, and since each plant generates a large number of flowers, they can be a useful source of nutrition.

Agave syrup (also called agave nectar) is used as an alternative to sugar in cooking.
Agave syrup is a sweetener commercially produced in Mexico from several species of agave, including the Blue Agave (Agave tequilana), Salmiana Agave (Agave salmiana), Green Agave, Grey Agave, Thorny Agave, and Rainbow Agave.
Agave syrup is sweeter than honey, though not as viscous.
Agave syrup consists primarily of fructose and glucose.
It's glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load are comparable to fructose, which in turn has a much lower GI and glycemic load than table sugar.
Vegans commonly use agave nectar to replace honey in recipes.
It is also used as a sweetener for cold beverages such as iced tea because it dissolves quickly.

Agave syrups are available in light, amber, dark, and raw varieties.
Light agave syrup has a mild, neutral flavour, and is therefore sometimes used in delicate tasting foods and drinks.
Amber agave syrup has a medium-intensity caramel flavour, and is therefore used in foods and drinks with stronger flavors.
Dark agave syrup has stronger caramel tones, and imparts a distinct flavour to dishes, such as some desserts, poultry, meat, and seafood dishes.
Raw agave syrup also has a mild, neutral taste. It is produced at temperatures below 48 °C to protect the natural enzymes, so this variety is an appropriate sweetener for raw foodists.

When the agave is between 7-10 years old, the leaves of the plant are cut off, revealing the core (called the "pina"). When harvested, the pina resembles a giant pineapple and can weigh from 20 to 70kg.
To make the syrup, sap is extracted from the pina, filtered, and heated at a low temperature, which breaks down the carbohydrates into sugars.
The main polysaccharide is called inulin or fructosan and comprises mostly fructose units. The filtered, hydrolyzed juice is concentrated to a syrup-like liquid a little thinner than honey that ranges in color from light to dark depending on the degree of processing. The syrup contains iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium which contribute to the resulting color.

Agave syrup does not have any of the bitter aftertaste associated with artificial sweeteners.
Agave has all the useful properties of real sugars, but its lower GI helps protect against health risks associated with higher glycemic sweeteners.
Since agave syrup is composed of fructose and glucose it works beautifully well in the kitchen and bakery. It matches refined sugars in all areas serving as a browning agent, a softener, and a preservative.