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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?

As it turns out, the path to the answer is through a little bit of science. Just a little bit, I promise! You see, the standard table sugar is split 50/50 between glucose sugars and fructose sugars. 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.

Agave syrup, in contrast to table sugar, is often 10% glucose and 90% fructose, which results in 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. 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. However, agave syrup is a lot sweeter than standard table sugar, so less of it can be used to attain the same level of sweetness, which, of course, reduces the amount of sugar being consumed.

So, is agave syrup better for diabetics than sugar? If you get the right kind, 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 watch what you eat!