Make us your home page  How super are 'superfruits' such as the
goji berry and mangosteen?  We keep hearing about amazing health
benefits of "superfruits." What's the appeal? Superfruits demand
super prices — sometimes 20 times higher than "traditional"
fruit.  Are they worth it? Here's a rundown from Barbara Quinn,
a registered dietitian and diabetes educator in California:
Agave nectar is the juice from agave, a fruit native to Mexico.
Agave nectar is a "natural sweetener," as are the juices of
other fruits. Its benefit, say promoters, is that it is high in
fructose, which is absorbed slowly into the body. Agave nectar
thus has a low glycemic index, which means it causes lower rises
in blood sugars. But it's worth realizing that the high fructose
content of agave nectar is seen as a benefit while the same
fructose in high-fructose corn syrup is viewed by some as the
plague. In fact, agave juice is higher in fructose (85 percent)
than apple or pear juice (66 percent) or high-fructose corn
syrup (55 percent)