Agave syrup (also known as agave nectar), long since used to make products with less than desirable health effects (like tequila), is actually very sweet, much sweeter than sugar. Some companies have begun marketing agave nectar to diabetics as a natural substitute for sugar because of the lower volume required to sweeten something to the same sweetness level, among other factors. However, is it really better than sugar for diabetics?
Well, the answer lies in a little bit of science. Just a tiny bit, I promise! It just so happens that normal table sugar is 50% fructose and 50% glucose. Fructose sugars are absorbed into the body much slower than glucose sugars, which causes it to encourage obesity when too much of it is used, but it can also result in a better sugar for diabetics since it can help them avoid dangerous blood sugar level spikes.
Since agave syrup is usually 10% glucose and 90% fructose, it has a low glycemic index. However, there is one problem. Agave syrup has variations that have 45% glucose and 55% fructose, making it hardly any better for diabetics than standard sugar. In fact, there is another sweetener with the same distribution of glucose and fructose; high fructose corn syrup. It really isn’t good enough.
Furthermore, agave syrup has the same number of calories per ounce that normal sugar does. See, the thing is that sugar isn’t nearly as sweet-tasting as agave nectar is, so it will take less agave syrup to create the same level of sweetness, which means that less sugar would be consumed.
So, which is better for diabetics? Agave syrup or sugar? If you get the right version of it, it is. However, it is still a sugar, so its benefits are limited. In addition to that, since agave syrup fructose and glucose concentrations can vary, it only serves to emphasize that diabetics should be researching what exactly they are heating, especially since consuming large amounts of something you think is healthy when it isn’t can be quite dangrerous.
While I have covered a fair amount of information, you should always do more research on anything like agave syrup before deciding if it is good or bad for diabetics. As any diabetic probably already knows, when you try anything you haven’t tried before, especially anything sweet, you should pay close attention to your blood sugar levels just in case your body reacts in unexpected ways. Good luck, and watch what you eat!
