Agave Nectar vs. Honey

Since starting paleo I've been using sugar substitutes since a lot of paleo recipes I see contain them. I had started following the recipes and using agave nectar but then I realized I didn't even really know what it was besides a sugar substitute. I had also seen a lot of debates in the comment sections regarding agave vs. honey and decided to do a little of my own research.

The agave plant is similar to a cactus, and the sweetener comes from both Salmiana agave and agave Tequilana (or Blue Agave, known best for tequila). The liquid is collected from the plants and then are processed thermally or by enzymes into agave nectar.Honey on the other hand is made by honey bees using the nectar they collect from flowers and is one of the oldest foods to mankind.

Agave Nectar v. Honey

Agave Nectar

Benefits:
Vegan
Low glycemic index (about 15)
Mild/almost neutral flavor
Thinner liquid makes it easier to pour, measure, and dissolve
Used to heal wounds

Cons:
The liquid from agave is not naturally sweet but when its fructose units are separated in production, the syrup becomes so. However, through this process, many of the original nutrients that would be factors toward more optimal health are lost.

Additionally, the end product is about 90% fructose.  It is low glycemic but research on the high consumption of fructose shows that other health related issues may arise, like interference with the formation of collagen and elastin (important for our connective tissue health), and an impaired ability to metabolize glucose. Agave nectar also converts to fat more easily than any other sugar. 

To fully understand the problem with the high amount of fructose in agave, here is an excerpt from Living-foods.com:

"Agave Syrup is advertised as “low glycemic” and marketed towards diabetics.  It is true, that agave itself is low glycemic.  We have to consider why agave syrup is “low glycemic.”  It is due to the unusually high concentration of fructose (90%) compared to the small amount of glucose (10%).  Nowhere in nature does this ratio of fructose to glucose occur naturally.  One of the next closest foods that contain almost this concentration of glucose to fructose is high fructose corn syrup used in making soda(HFCS 55), which only contains 55% fructose.  Even though fructose is low on the glycemic index, there are numerous problems associated with the consumption of fructose in such high concentrations as found in concentrated sweeteners:

A.    Fructose appears to interfere with copper metabolism.   This causes collagen and elastin being unable to form.  Collagen and elastin are connective tissue which essentially hold the body together.¹   A deficiency in copper can also lead to bone fragility, anemia, defects of the arteries and bone, infertility, high cholesterol levels, heart attacks and ironically enough an inability to control blood sugar levels.

B.    Research suggests that fructose actually promotes disease more readily than glucose.  This is because glucose is metabolized by every cell in the body, and fructose must be metabolized by the liver. ³  Tests on animals show that the livers of animals fed large amounts of fructose develop fatty deposits and cirrohosis of the liver.  This is similar to the livers of alcoholics.

C.    “Pure” isolated fructose contains no enzymes, vitamins or minerals and may rob the body of these nutrients in order to assimilate itself for physiological use.⁴

D.    Fructose may contribute to diabetic conditions.  It reduces the sensitivity of insulin receptors.  Insulin receptors are the way glucose enters a cell to be metabolized.  As a result, the body needs to make more insulin to handle the same amount of glucose.⁵

E.    Consumption of fructose has been shown to cause a significant increase in uric acid.  An increase in uric acid can be an indicator of heart diease.⁶

F.     Fructose consumption has been shown to increase blood lactic acid, especially for people with conditions such as diabetes.  Extreme elevations may cause metabolic acidosis.⁷

G.    Consumption of fructose leads to mineral losses, especially excretions of iron, magnesium, calcium and zinc compared to subjects fed sucrose.⁸

H.    Fructose may cause accelerated aging through oxidative damage.  Scientists found that rats given fructose had more cross-linking changes in the collagen of their skin than other groups fed glucose.  These changes are thought to be markers for aging.

I.      Fructose can make you fat!  It is metabolized by the liver and converts to fat more easily than any other sugar.  Fructose also raises serum triglycerides (blood fats) significantly.^10"

Raw Honey

Benefits:
Boosts immune system (which in return prevents diseases)
Used to heal wounds from it's antibacterial properties
Energy booster (since it's rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes and phytonutrients)

Cons:
Higher glycemic index (raw is about 30, processed is about 75)
Not vegan (due to the bees)
Distinct flavor
Thicker liquid that is harder to work with, solidifies and crystallizes
Can contain a bacteria that can cause botulism in children under 1 year old

Conclusion
Some feel agave nectar is a far healthier alternative to honey due to its lower glycemic index. However, since sugar/sweetners should be limited if not completely eliminated in a paleo diet, one should only be using very limited amounts. So while honey is higher glycemic, since one should be using only a small amount, I feel honey is the better alternative as it's more natural and unprocessed and prefer the cons of honey vs. the cons of agave. With that said, I understand the concern for those who are vegan and feel that everyone should choose based on their individual lifestyles and beliefs. I will however, use raw honey as my sweetner of choice and try to buy from local beekeepers whenever possible (think farmer's markets people!).