What causes Diabetes?

Agave syrup (also known as agave nectar) has long since been used to make tequila, but it is actually a kind of sugar that is much sweeter than standard table 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. However, is it really better than sugar for diabetics?

As it turns out, the path to the answer is through a little bit of science. Just a little bit, I promise! It just so happens that normal table sugar is 50% fructose and 50% glucose. 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.

Since agave syrup is usually 10% glucose and 90% fructose, it has a low glycemic index. One of the main problems is that certain variants of agave nectar have 55% fructose and 45% glucose, which is only a little bit better than normal sugar for a diabetic. As it turns out, the standard high fructose corn syrup has the same percentages of glucose and fructose. It really isn’t good enough.

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 version of it, it is. However, it is still a sugar, so its benefits are limited. 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 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 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 enjoy your food!

Tags: agave, agave nectar, agave syrup, Diabetes, diabetics, natural diabetes remedies, natural remedies, sugar substitute