Is Agave Vegan? What You Need to Know

Is Agave Vegan? What You Need to Know

More and more people are adopting a plant based or vegan diet. Find out the answer to ‘is agave vegan?’ here and learn why so many people are using it.

Keyword(s): is agave vegan

Did you know that there are 1.6 million vegans in the United States, which is 0.5% of the total American population? And the average age of a vegan is 42? 

Most people are surprised by these stats as they expect more people to be into the vegan revolution. Veganism does seem to be taking the world by storm. Just because people aren’t 100% vegan, doesn’t mean that many Americans aren’t looking for vegan alternatives for many of their meal options.

One of those is vegan sugar alternatives. That’s where the question, is agave vegan, comes into play. 

If you are wondering about this interesting question, then keep reading the article below. 

How Is Plant-Based Agave Sourced and Processed? 

Where does agave come from? Agave is a plant that’s native to South America and certain regions in the Caribbean.

Agave juice is made from two different agave plants. The two plants are agave tequilana (blue agave), and agave samilana. 

As you might have heard, agave juice produced from these two plants is 1.6 times sweeter than sugar and is usually processed into a thick syrup or nectar. 

If you are dealing with raw agave nectar or syrup, then you can rest assured that it’s completely natural and vegan. It doesn’t even include any additives, which is good news indeed.

Are you a raw vegan? Then raw agave syrup works for you as well, because it hasn’t been treated with heat above 118 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes raw agave syrup a great option for all vegans and non-vegans. 

The Nutritional Value of Agave Syrup

The reason why many people are searching for sugar alternatives is that sugar has gotten such a bad rap over the years, and for good reason. Too many Americans are eating too much sugar and getting no nutritional benefit in return.

If you are trying to lead a nutritionally healthy lifestyle, then eliminating sugar is crucial. Overeating sugary snacks or meals can result in a wide variety of illnesses, like diabetes, cancer, and more.

Also, sugar has no nutritional value at all! It tampers with your blood sugar levels and leads you to overeat.

On the other hand, agave syrup is completely natural and has no additives. It’s still converted to sucrose in your bloodstream, but at least it has some essential vitamins and minerals like:

• Thiamine (B1)
• Riboflavin (B2)
• Niacin (B3)
• Vitamin B6
• Folate (B9)
• Vitamin C

Additionally, one great news for diabetics or anyone trying to watch their blood sugar levels is that agave syrup has a low glycemic index. Even honey can’t beat agave syrup in its low effect on blood sugar levels. Organic honey has a glycemic index of 83, whereas agave syrup is valued at 27. 

Still, this doesn’t mean that you can start adding agave syrup to all your meals without any discernment at all. Agave syrup, no matter how natural or unprocessed, is still a sweetener and needs to be used in moderation.

Different Varieties of Agave Syrup

There are many different varieties of sugar nowadays, like brown sugar, palm sugar, coconut sugar, and the commonly known white sugar. Similarly, agave syrup has different varieties as well. 

Again, you don’t need to worry that one variety of agave syrup is vegan and another is not. Agave syrup is 100% plant-based, but the different varieties are filtered at various levels. 

The agave sap has many different minerals and salts in it that end up in the final agave syrup product in varying amounts. This is what creates the different colors of the agave syrup on the market. 

Raw agave comes in only one color. But there are also amber, dark, and light agave. 

If you are looking for a medium sweetener, you should go for amber agave. The light agave syrup is great as an all-purpose sweetener. The dark agave works well for baking and making desserts. 

The best one for making smoothies has to be the amber agave, but you can try out the different kinds of agave to see what suits your palate and your family’s inclinations. 

Some Things to Be Aware Of

Ensure that you are always choosing high-quality agave syrup from reputed agave producers. This is because there’s a lot of pressure on agave producers to meet the raging demands for agave syrup in the American market, and they might end up mixing high-fructose corn syrup or hydrolyzing sugar into the agave syrup to keep production levels high.

Also, no matter if something is vegan or not, no matter if it’s considered to be the healthiest food in the world or not, everything should be consumed in moderation. Don’t go crazy pouring cups of agave syrup on your morning pancakes or oatmeal, because you have heard that it’s plant-based and good for you.

Sugar, after all, is sugar and needs to be used cautiously in all its forms. 

Is Agave Vegan? – It Certainly Is

The conclusion here is quite clear. You don’t need to ask anymore, is agave vegan? Raw agave syrup is 100% natural, plant-based and healthy to boot. 

If you had to cut down the amount of refined sugar in your diet to almost nil due to various health conditions, you can use agave syrup as a sugar alternative and not deprive yourself as much anymore. 

Looking to source agave syrup in bulk for your restaurant or your healthy eating meals? Contact Global Goods and order volcanic blue agave nectar at the best prices on the market. Get free shipping on your bulk orders as well!