Agave Syrup And Your Diabetics Diet
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. As a result, due to the lower amounts required to sweeten a food item, among other factors, some companies have started marketing agave nectar/syrup as a natural sugar substitute for diabetics. But, is it actually better for diabetics than sugar is?
Well, the answer lies in a little bit of science. Just a little bit, I promise! See, normal table sugar is half fructose sugars and half glucose sugars. Fructose sugars have a much slower absorption rate into the body, which makes it tend to increase obesity problems more than glucose sugars when consumed in large quantities, but it also helps diabetics because the sugar can be sent through their system at a slower rate, preventing dangerous spikes.
Agave syrup, in contrast to table sugar, is often 10% glucose and 90% fructose, which results in a low glycemic index.
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Furthermore, agave syrup has the same number of calories per ounce that normal sugar does. The catch is that agave syrup is significantly sweeter than normal sugar, so you can use less of it to get the same taste effect, which has the obvious benefit of ingesting less sugar.
So, is agave syrup better for diabetics than sugar? If you get the right kind, it is. However, the benefits are limited as it is still sugar. Furthermore, the variances within agave syrup emphasize the need for diabetics to research what exactly is in the food they are eating, as believing that you are eating a healthier item than you are could lead to over-consumption, which can be very dangerous for anybody dealing with diabetes.
While this article is meant to be an excellent starting point, you should do more research on agave syrup before deciding for yourself, as a diabetic, whether or not you should use it. As always, whenever you try anything new, especially substitutes for sugar, you should monitor your blood sugar level especially closely in case your body does not react to it the way you thought it would. Good luck, and happy eating!
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