Ever wonder what would be better than can sugar, refined sugar or artificial sweeteners like Splenda, NutraSweet or Aspartame? Many really negative studies have come about recently regarding the efficacy and potential harm artificial sweeteners can have on the human body over time -- which is a main reason I stay away from all of them completely.

But , natural cane sugar can be harmful too if taken in abundance. Refined sugar, used in candies and pastries among other things, is really, really bad for people in large amounts as well. What other choices are there? How about the nectar of the Agave plant, which can be found in many organic varieties and is quite possibly the best all-around multi-purpose sweetener out there.

In addition to the excellent natural sweetener stevia, Agave Nectar is a very low-glycemic but incredibly tasty sweetener made from the Agave plant -- the same plant that Tequila is refined from. In addition, Agave Nectar is about 125% sweeter than sugar by some estimates, making it a perfect replacement for standard tabletop sugar. My preferred brand? Organic Raw Blue Agave by Wholesome Sweeteners.