It’s sold as plant-based, low GI, kinder to your gut. Nutritionists are staring at the same plates and muttering a very different story. The dissonance is loud.
I’m watching a Saturday brunch line snake past a Shoreditch café window. Sunlight hits a stack of banana pancakes and the server pours a thin stream of syrup like it’s liquid virtue. Phones come out. Someone whispers, “It’s the good kind.” It looks virtuous enough to deserve a halo. A young couple at the next table nudge their toddler’s bowl: oats, chia, berries, more syrup. A nutritionist I recognise from TV sits three stools down, quietly counting under her breath every time the bottle appears. The world is filming sweetness, calling it wellness, and clicking “share”. One detail keeps catching the light. What if the halo is hollow?
Meet the “superfood” that isn’t: agave syrup
There it is on almost every influencer plate: agave syrup. It’s the syrup of soft mornings and “no-guilt” captions, basking in the glow of words like natural, vegan, and low glycaemic. **Agave syrup isn’t a superfood; it’s just sugar with better PR.** Nutritionists aren’t furious because it’s evil. They’re furious because it’s being mis-sold as health when it’s simply a clever rebrand of sweetness.
Take Anna, 24, who posts “gut-friendly banana pancakes” to 280,000 followers. Her video is shot in dream light; the final move is a three-second agave drizzle, saving grace emojis included. Comments gush: “Finally a sugar-free breakfast!” One tablespoon of agave is roughly 16 grams of sugar. That three-second flourish can hit two tablespoons without blinking. In the UK, the NHS suggests keeping free sugars under 30 grams a day for adults. Breakfast alone can spend the budget.
The agave pitch leans hard on its low glycaemic index. Blood glucose rises more slowly, and that sounds saintly. The bit you don’t see: agave can be very high in fructose, often 70–90% of its sugars. Fructose doesn’t spike blood glucose the same way, so the GI looks tidy. Your liver gets the bill. Regular high-fructose loads can raise triglycerides and nudge metabolic health in the wrong direction. The index was never a health halo; it’s one number in a messy human meal.
How to outsmart the drizzle
Start by building the plate so sweetness arrives last, not first. Lead with protein and fibre: Greek yoghurt, eggs, nuts, oats. Add whole fruit for natural sweetness, and use spices like cinnamon and vanilla to amplify flavour. If you want syrup, pour it into a teaspoon before it touches the food. One teaspoon tastes like a treat, two is still fine, and you’ve kept your eyes open.
We’ve all had that moment when the hand keeps pouring because the video looked like a waterfall. Portion creep is real when syrup is “allowed” by wellness rules. Try a simple swap: mash half a ripe banana into porridge or batter, then scent with lemon zest. Drizzle becomes garnish, not stage star. Let’s be honest: nobody actually measures every teaspoon in real life. Build habits that survive Tuesdays.
Here’s the line nutritionists keep repeating to me.
“GI isn’t a moral score. It tells you one thing about one pathway. Health is the whole pattern, not the amber bottle,” says registered dietitian Priya Tew.
- Swap the pour: fresh fruit, a spoon of yoghurt, or a dusting of cocoa beats an automatic drizzle.
- Use the teaspoon rule: decide the number before you pick up the bottle.
- Read labels on “clean” granolas and bars: “agave solids” and “nectar” still mean added sugar.
- Scan per 100g and per portion. Under 5g sugars per 100g is low; over 22.5g is high in the UK guide.
- If you love syrup flavour, stir a few drops into hot water to make a light glaze. Same taste, less dose.
The bigger picture: food that earns its halo
Influencers didn’t invent sweet breakfasts. They invented better lighting. The algorithm rewards gloss and gravity-defying drizzles because they travel well. Real nutrition is often beige and quiet. That doesn’t mean it’s boring. It means the payoff is felt at 3pm when you don’t crash, or at 10pm when you’re not raiding the cupboard.
This isn’t about demonising sugar or banning pleasure. It’s about not pretending a dessert is a detox. **The halo doesn’t change the dose.** You can like agave’s taste and still treat it like what it is: a sweetener. Where the fury comes from is the bait-and-switch, the “clean” label turning into a get-out-of-jail card. Keep the joy. Drop the mythology. **Small changes beat heroic rules.** The internet may love a syrup slow-mo. Your body loves a steady plate.
| Point clé | Détail | Intérêt pour le lecteur |
|---|---|---|
| Agave ≠ superfood | Low GI doesn’t mean low impact; high fructose load still counts as added sugar. | Stops the health-washing trap and clarifies why “natural” can mislead. |
| Portion trumps platform | Two tablespoons can hit the NHS daily free sugar limit. | Gives a simple, actionable benchmark for everyday breakfasts. |
| Smart swaps work | Build with protein/fibre, sweeten with fruit/spices, use the teaspoon rule. | Protects energy and mood without ditching flavour or joy. |
FAQ :
- Is agave healthier than table sugar?Not really. It has a lower glycaemic index, but often a higher fructose share. It’s still added sugar, so portion matters more than the label.
- Is honey a better choice?Honey carries some trace compounds and a different flavour, yet it’s still mostly sugar. If you enjoy it, use small amounts. The same teaspoon rule applies.
- How much “free sugar” is reasonable in a day?In the UK, adults are advised to keep free sugars under 30g daily. That’s roughly 6 teaspoons across everything you eat and drink.
- What should I use to sweeten breakfast without the crash?Try whole fruit, cinnamon, vanilla, lemon zest, or a dollop of plain yoghurt with berries. If using syrup, measure 1–2 teaspoons, not a free pour.
- Is there any time agave makes sense?It can add moisture and shine in baking, and you might like the taste. It’s not a performance fuel and it isn’t medicinal. Think flavour, not therapy.
