The benefits of using agave syrup

Our friends over at What On Earth have recently launched some delicious new organic granolas, which have excellent health benefits.  Why?  Because rather than sugar or honey the company uses organic agave syrup in the granolas.  Agave syrup (also known as agave nectar) is a healthier alternative to honey and sugar and it has numerous other benefits.  This struck a particular chord with us because we do not like refined sugars  - we don't add them to Simply Nectar drinks after all.  Hearing about natural alternatives to sugar is therefore extremely interesting and something we want you all to know about.

What On Earth's new granolas

Agave syrup is produced from the blue agave plant, which grows in the southern United States, northern South America and the hilly regions of Mexico.  There are four parts of the plant that can be used in cooking – the flowers, leaves, stalks and sap.  The sap, which is used in the production of agave syrup, comes from the flower shoots.

Agave syrup has been used for centuries as a folk remedy for its medicinal properties.  Aztecs used to mix it with salt and use it as a dressing for wounds and a balm for skin infections.  Modern medical studies have also confirmed agave’s remedial properties. 

The main health property of agave syrup is its low glycemic index.  Unlike sugar which is a processed sweetener that has no nutritive value other than calories, agave syrup is a natural sweetener.  It provides sweetness without the unpleasant sugar rush and unhealthy blood sugar spike that sugars provide.  This means it won’t cause a sharp rise or fall in sugar and will provide more consistent energy throughout the day.  The glycemic value of agave syrup is 27, whereas sucrose or sugar has a value of 92.

Agave syrup contains saponins and fructans which are known for their anti-inflammatory and immune system-boosting properties.   It also contains natural enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and a nutritious fibre called inulin.  This itself has many health benefits.  It is suggested that inulin is helpful to weight loss because of its low impact on blood sugar and its ability to decrease appetite and keep you feeling fuller for longer.  Inulin is also associated with lowering cholesterol, reducing the risk of certain cancers and increasing absorption of nutrients.  Plus studies have shown that it enhances calcium absorption by as much as 20% and increases bone density by 15%.

Agave syrup has also been proven effective against intestinal bacteria and to treat colon diseases such as ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease.  If applied to the skin it can also be effective against bacteria.  Adding salt to it further boasts this.

Agave syrup can be used to replace natural sweeteners in most recipes.  It is 40% sweeter than sugar so less needs to be used – therefore cutting calories.  Amazingly just a third of a cup of agave syrup can be used to replace one cup of sugar.  If agave syrup is used then the liquid ingredients in the recipe will also need to be reduced by about a third, seeing as agave syrup is a liquid – not a dry matter like sugar.

So, there we have it – a brief overview of agave syrup to let you know all about this wonderful ingredient.  If you need to add sugar to your recipes maybe you should opt for agave syrup instead.

Simply agave,

Simply Nectar

Ekta introduces us to Diwali

Yesterday was the Hindu festival of Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights.  Every year it is celebrated in Hindu communities around the world and here in the office we had a little celebration of our own.  To be honest, I have to admit to not knowing a great deal about Diwali but luckily we have our very own tutor, Ekta.  And now Ekta has kindly offered to do a guest blog all about Diwali.

Take it away Ekta….. round of applause please

Not many know about the story behind the reason for celebrating Diwali, but it is actually one of the most important Hindu festivals.  Diwali is marked as the day in the Hindu calendar as the day that Lord Rama, along his wife Sita and brother Laxman, returned to his kingdom, Ayodhya, from a 13 year exile in the forest.  Lord Hanuman, his friend, helper and confidante also came along with them.

Photo courtesy of www.iskcondesiretree.net

The kingdom’s subjects welcomed them with great fervour and celebrations. That night being a Moonless night, they decided to light up their kingdom with all the earthen lamps they had. Thus, the festival is known and celebrated as the Festival of Lights.  The word Diwali actually means ‘rows of lighted lamps’ and during the festival houses, shops and public places are decorated with small earthenware oil lamps called diyas.

Photo courtesy of http://fr.wikipedia.org

Diwali is followed by the Hindu New Year the very next day (which is today!) This gives families a reason to come together to celebrate, eat, drink and be merry.  It is tradition to make homemade sweets and savoury snacks in the lead to Diwali.  These snacks are then served to guests and relatives visiting each other.  As a good luck present, the elders give younger members of the family envelopes which contain cash.

Photo courtesy of www.desifoodbuzz.com

As well as making lots of food, the women in the family decorate the doorsteps of their home.  They do this by creating patterns with various coloured powders.  The designs are seen as a welcome gesture, symbolic to Lord Ram’s return and his Kingdom’s welcome.

Photo courtesy of www.thehindu.com

So there we have the story of Diwali, as told by Ekta.  Thank you Ekta!

We celebrated Diwali in the office yesterday by eating traditional foods such as Motichoor Ladoo, which I can confirm were delicious!  And yes, I did have to get Ekta to write that spelling down for me!  Motichoor Ladoo is made of flour and sugar, among other ingredients.  It is a sweet Indian delicacy and is generally made for special occasions.  Hmmm, maybe we should make some pizzas that can be eaten of special occasions?!

Motichoor Ladoo

Today is the New Year for Hindus so we should wish you all a Happy New Year!

Peace, love and Diwali pizza,

What On Earth

Your chance to win some Simply Nectar

You’ve got to be in it to win it, right?  So enter this competition for your chance to win an amazing gourmet hamper worth £150.  The competition is being run in the fantastic, new, Take a Breath magazine.
 

We’ve teamed up with our friends at What On Earth and Le Pain Quotidien to offer this great hamper stuffed full of deliciously luxurious products.  The hamper includes a variety of our yummy nectars and a huge selection of other goodies. 

Here is the complete list of contents:

• Simply Nectar Mango - 75cl
• Simply Nectar Pear - 25cl
• Simply Nectar Raspberry - 25cl
• Simply Nectar Apricot - 25cl
• Simply Nectar Peach - 25cl
• Simply Nectar Orange - 25cl
• What On Earth 400ml Organic Coconut Milk
• What On Earth 700g Organic Tomato Passata
• The English Tea Shop 30g (15 pyramid bags) Lemon Grass Ginger and Citrus
• The English Tea Shop 60g (40 bags) De-Stress Tea
• The English Tea Shop 60g (40 bags) Detox Tea
• Adorn Bamboo Chopping Board-medium 210mm x 370mm
• Le Pain Quotidien 454g Organic muesli
•  Le Pain Quotidien 450g Organic granola
• Le Pain Quotidien 300g Acacia honey
• Le Pain Quotidien 652g Agave Syrup
• Le Pain Quotidien 185g Organic traditional Harissa paste
• Le Pain Quotidien 15 Chamomile Flowers pyramid tea bags
• Le Pain Quotidien 400g Organic Dark Chocolate Spread
• Le Pain Quotidien 370g Organic Raspberry Jam
• Le Pain Quotidien 250g Organic Strawberry Jam
• Le Pain Quotidien 250g Organic Blood Orange Spread
• Le Pain Quotidien 500ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Le Pain Quotidien 250ml Canola Oil

(The Le Pain Quotidien food products noted above are made by What on Earth)

For your chance to win this amazing prize, all you need to do is come up with three witty captions for the following images.  We need something that will make even the grumpiest of people crack a smile.

As always terms and conditions apply to the competition, which are as follows:

• All entrants must be over 18 and must live within the distribution area of Take a Breath (Guildford, Godalming, Farnham, Haslemere, Cranleigh and surrounding areas)
• All entries must be by 17 November to be valid
• All entries must be submitted using the online form
• The winner’s name will be printed in the December 2012 issue
• No purchase is necessary
• One entry per person
• No part of a prize is exchangeable for cash or any other prize
• Incorrectly completed entries will be disqualified
• If you win a competition, we will notify you by e-mail and phone. The judges’ decision will be final, and no correspondence will be entered into.

To enter the competition please visit the Take a Breath website: www.takeabreathmag.co.uk/hamper

Also, please read the magazine's Privacy Policy which tells you how it uses any personal information it may collect when you enter a competition.

Now get those creative hats on and get entering.  We wish you the very best of luck.

Simply competitions!

Simply Nectar