Natural sweeteners are gaining popularity since people are trying to avoid overly processed white sugar and high fructose corn syrup. You may have seen Truvia and PureVia on store shelves, which are both made from the stevia plant. Another plant-derived sweetener is agave nectar, which comes from the agave plant. It's sweeter than honey but not as thick in consistency.

I often use agave nectar in place of white sugar when baking. To see which one is healthier to use, read more.


One tbsp sugar One tbsp. agave nectar
Calories 46 60
Total Fat 0 0
Carbs 12 16
Fiber 0 1
Sugar 12 15
Protein 0 0

While it may seem that sugar contains less calories, carbs, and sugars, agave nectar is sweeter than granulated sugar, so you end up using less — about 40 percent less. Not only that, but agave nectar has a lower glycemic index (GI) rating, which means it won't cause a spike in your blood sugar levels the way sugar does. High-GI foods like white sugar tend to make us feel hungry sooner since they are digested quickly. So foods made with agave nectar may keep you feeling fuller longer than foods made with the white stuff, which translates to eating less. Also, did you see that agave nectar contains some fiber? We can always use more of that in our diets. Although both come from plants, agave nectar is less processed and closer to nature, so for all these reasons, you can feel good about using it in place of sugar. But beware: you'll need to fiddle with recipes when baking with agave nectar, since it is a liquid and not a dry ingredient like sugar.

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