MONDAY POST: Part 2: More about your SWEETENER!!!

Hi friends! I didn't elaborate on the mention of Agave as a sweetener/spread for Pancakes or waffles or herb teas, etc. because there has been lively debate about it!   But I had a good comment  that made me decide to respond to it.  The majority of sites find it to be low enough on the glycemic index and give it good reviews.  If a sugar enters  into the bloodstream and causes the pancreas to produce insulin quickly, it is considered high on the glycemic scale. And the higher on the glycemic index, the more chance for fat storage and it could be problematic for diabetics, etc. 
Agave is from the Mexican Agave plant (tequilana, but don't worry...tee  heee) and though it has the same carbs basically as Maple Syrup , it is 1.5 to 2 times naturally sweeter, so you can use less, and it falls somewhere between 40-45 on the index, a good number.  It is a sweetener that you will have to try, adjust, and see what suits your taste and usage.  Agave is an enigma...the controversy (someone like  Mayo Clinic wanting more studies)  is the fact that it is 90 per cent fructose, and 10 per cent glucose, but seems to glycemically load the bloodstream/ system  still lower than other natural, liquid sweeteners. That does NOT mean you can use it in unlimited amounts.  As too much of even a good thing, well, you know the answer.  And,  because of taste adjustment and being slightly thinner in consistency, some folks will do the agave/maple syrup from Traders on gluten free pancakes, etc.  but not the straight agave.  It is a personal preference.   I do not promote ANY of the liquid sugars mentioned  for insulin injecting diabetics before they check with their doctor.  For the non-diabetic, such as myself, I will rotate it with the other sweeteners  I use, which will be a segment on it's own.  Most common brands would be Madhava and Wholesome, and Trader Joes has it's own. The LOWEST on the glycemic index is Blue Agave by Volcanic (27!!!) so you can try and find it online!  Agave mixes in unsweetened cold and hot drinks, but again use sparingly! It is sweet! And it comes in light, medium, dark. And by mixing the agave w/pure maple syrup, Traders has probably done a  smart move. It somewhat lowers the glycemic load, while keeping some of that yummy Maple Syrup flavor and makes it a bit thinner, more like real pancake syrup. You newbies ignore getting further confused, but for you Glycemic Index savvy folks, the formula to get the glycemic load, how it really impacts the insulin output, take the food's number on the  glycemic index, multiply that by the carbs of the food per serving and divide by a hundred. Just for fun! Bottom Line:  try the product, or the one mixed w/maple syrup and see how it works for you! And please try to STOP white sugar, or brown sugar, which is often just carmel colored white sugar...It's at the TOP of the glycemic index and only good for belly fat, higher cholesterol, immune dysfunction, and behavior issues...HA HA, do you think I want you to program off the white stuff??!!!!!! 
NOTE: If you do NOT have a Trader's Joes in your area, email them and ask why. They have over 360 stores in 28 states, why not yours??? BUG EM!!!!
Also, note: cooking with liquid sweeteners has it's drawbacks. I shall discuss which dry sweeteners work well for cooking with in the future.