At first she thought that her sugar habit wasn't really a big deal and she didn't need to bother with a substitute. After all, she avoided pink, yellow and blue packets for a long time because just the thought of their artificial ingredients – and tastes – made her cringe. She began with Stevia, an herb that's far sweeter than sugar and easy to carry around (translation: could be thrown in her handbag without worry) because she found it in her health food store in a powdered form packaged just like other sugar subs. But truth be told, she didn't love it. It had a funny aftertaste and she could never figure out how much was too much – which meant that she often ended up with a latte she had just paid too much for that she had no intention of drinking.

So, she moved on to agave, or as it's often called agave syrup or nectar. Harvested from the same plant that tequila comes from, it doesn't taste at all like tequila. It's often compared to honey, but Girlawhirl's not sure she agrees because there's no clover or flowery taste like she often finds with honey. The agave nectar is also thinner than honey, like the consistency of maple syrup, and it stirs beautifully into all kinds of beverages, hot or cold.

Like Stevia, it's also sweeter than sugar, so Girlawhirl uses about a third as much as she would use if she were using the real stuff. And she's rewarded with – finally – a mellow sweetness that has no trace of a chemical aftertaste. Part of the reason there's so much buzz about agave is that even though it tastes wonderfully sweet, it has a very low glycemic index, which means that it doesn't cause the same insulin response – and the accompanying highs and lows – that sugar does.

Now Girlawhirl carries her new sweetie with her everywhere. She stashed a bottle in her desk drawer, because she's found that it's not only great in her morning latte but also as a drizzle on top of unsweetened yogurt with berries. She carries it in her one-quart plastic bag through airport security, and she's even found a small container that fits right into the side pocket of her handbag.