Anyone bake with Agave?

[maestramommy]

Title says it all. I'm looking for a sugar sub. A friend recommended Agave nectar, on account of its low glycemic index. But I mainly use sugar for baking. I used brown rice syrup once for baking, and it didn't work out so well. Too sticky, and the cookies didn't hold together quite as well.

Anyone try baking with Agave?

[mackmama]

I bake with agave and love it. I use a lot of Rocco's recipes from this book. http://www.amazon.com/Now-Eat-This-Diet-Pounds/dp/0446584495/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1

I haven't tried substituting it in my regular recipes but have heard you use 2/3c agave per 1c sugar and then reduce your other liquids.

[essnce629]

I'm not a fan since it's so processed it may be similar to HFCS. This is a great article on it. I will not use it.

http://www.westonaprice.org/modern-foods/agave-nectar-worse-than-we-thought


I am a fan of xylitol though! It tastes just like sugar with no aftertaste and can be substituted 1:1 for sugar in recipes. It's a sugar alcohol though which means if you eat too much of it it will cause gas and stomach rumblings (I find this only happens if I eat like 4 tablespoons of it, which is A LOT!!!) I use it in all my recipes that say to use sugar and I also use it in my tea and shakes (that DS2 drinks with me every day). Xylitol is also great for your teeth since it kills the bacteria that causes cavities. There's toothpaste, gum, mints, and mouthwash made with xylitol for this purpose and mom's who use these products have children with less cavities (since the mom is the one who passes on the cavity-causing bacteria most frequently). Xylitol also prevents ear infections and sinus infections and they sell xylitol nasal spray!

[maestramommy]

I'm not a fan since it's so processed it may be similar to HFCS. This is a great article on it. I will not use it.

http://www.westonaprice.org/modern-foods/agave-nectar-worse-than-we-thought


I am a fan of xylitol though! It tastes just like sugar with no aftertaste and can be substituted 1:1 for sugar in recipes. It's a sugar alcohol though which means if you eat too much of it it will cause gas and stomach rumblings (I find this only happens if I eat like 4 tablespoons of it, which is A LOT!!!) I use it in all my recipes that say to use sugar and I also use it in my tea and shakes (that DS2 drinks with me every day). Xylitol is also great for your teeth since it kills the bacteria that causes cavities. There's toothpaste, gum, mints, and mouthwash made with xylitol for this purpose and mom's who use these products have children with less cavities (since the mom is the one who passes on the cavity-causing bacteria most frequently). Xylitol also prevents ear infections and sinus infections and they sell xylitol nasal spray!

For heaven's sake! Is there nothing out there that is what it seems?? Well Latia, since you use xylitol, and I know others on this board use it, can you tell me what it is, exactly? I am hesitant to use it because I thought it was an artificial sweetener, and since I am subject to occasional IBS attacks, more gas, cramps and diarrhea are the last thing I want!

Sometimes it seems as though it would make more sense to just use regular sugar, but less of it :(

[daisymommy]

Sometimes it seems as though it would make more sense to just use regular sugar, but less of it :(

Exactly. REAL foods only in this house! Everything else has just as many drawbacks or worse, in my opinion. I buy 10lb. bags of organic sugar at Costco. It's a little less refined than white sugar. Succanat or Rapadura is very unrefined, just squeezed and dehydrated cane juice with all the minerals left in. It's brown and looks like sand almost. Even better for you. But yes, everything in moderation! There really isn't any sweetener out there that you can eat alot of with no consequence unfortunately.

You can also bake with honey btw. http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2011/07/01/a-sweet-sweet-summer-how-to-bake-with-honey-other-recipes/

Here's another article on Agave: http://www.foodrenegade.com/agave-nectar-good-or-bad/

[JBaxter]

I bake with raw sugar or organic. I use stevia in most other things ( drinks etc) The organic sugar I get is not white its more light brownish in color.