Lately, agave syrup (also known as agave nectar) has become one of the fastest growing trends in the food industry.  This natural sweetener found in the agave plant has been popping up in recipe books, restaurants and supermarkets across the country.  Agave syrup has long been used to make tequila, but recently many companies have s tarted marketing agave sugar as a healthy sugar substitute for diabetics.

There remains much debate on whether or not agave syrup is truly a healthier option. Many companies have been pushing agave sweetener as a natural sweetener that can be used safely by diabetics. The product is praised for its low glycemic index, as well as its ability to be absorbed safely by diabetics. However, The Glycemic Research Institute (GRI) in Washington, D.C. recently issued a warning that agave syrup may not be as safe as advertised. According to GRI, several diabetic testers “experienced severe and dangerous side effects” after consuming agave nectar.

With so much hype surrounding the product, it is important to get to the root of the issue. Agave syrup is similar to regular sugar in many ways. Both are comprised of fructose and glucose and both have approximately the same number of calories per teaspoon. However, agave sugar has a much sweeter taste; therefore, significantly smaller portions can be used to achieve the same effect as regular sugar. Dietary professionals explain that this may be one way that agave sweetener developed its healthy reputation.

Regarding the issue of its low glycemic index rating, dietary professionals remain divided. Generally, agave syrup has a much higher concentration fructose and a lower concentration of glucose than sugar (which is about 50 percent glucose and 50 percent fructose). Research has indicated that fructose is a much healthier natural sweetener for diabetics than glucose. Some brands of agave sweeteners are comprised of up to 90 percent fructose and only 10 percent glucose, indicating that it may indeed be a healthier natural sweetener for diabetics.

Issues arise, however, because there is currently no market standard for agave sweeteners. Some brands of agave sugar are comprised of about 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose, making it practically the same as regular sugar. If diabetics are unaware of this fact or fail to properly read the labels on the products they are using, they may not realize that agave sweeteners could carry the same dangers as regular sugar. Because many diabetics believe that agave sugar is a healthy natural sweetener, they may not take the same precautions that they would when using regular sugar and may consume the product excessively. This could lead to serious health problems in diabetics.

Ultimately, it is difficult to know if agave sugar is truly a healthier natural sweetener for diabetics. While the product does carry some benefits, there are also very real threats to using agave sweeteners. Either way, dietary professionals stress the importance of diabetics researching the specific food that they eat to make sure they are getting an acceptable fructose/glucose ratio. Additionally, experts emphasize that moderation is always a safe plan when it comes to any food, and agave syrup is no different.