For those with diabetes agave juice has proven itself as a excellent sweetener, Because it does not alter the flavor of drinks or coffee, and has a very low glycemic index. This means that using it will not increase insulin production and therefore will not alter blood sugar values
Due to its dietary qualities, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recognized that in dosi appropriate Agave juice is a food also suitable for diabetics.
How agave juice is made
The juice or agave syrup is obtained fromagave blu (Agave tequilana), belonging to the Agavaceae family, a succulent plant of the desert of Mexico.
It has long and numerous roots, a short stem, with a rosette of leaves fleshy with many fibers, if cut they have a gelatinous structure. The apical thorn is almost always present in the leaves, sometimes the thorns also appear along the margins. It blooms presenting a high inflorescence at 7-8 years of age of the plant, which generally at the ripening of the dried fruits.
The area where the best environmental conditions are recorded for the cultivation of agave is thegeographical area of ​​Jalisco, near Tequila. The agave is planted in extensive territories, where the peasants there fertilize and they nourish for several years. After the first three years, the tops of the leaves are cut for accelerate growth and do it like this mature in 8 - 11 years, in order to obtain the best agave juice.
Agave syrup is produced bystarch of the plant, contained in roots a bulb similar to pineapple, and called by the local populations "heart". It is obtained with a totally natural process of extraction and concentration. The juice comes filtered from the solid parts, then you do it heat in order to transform carbohydratesi (l'amido) in sugar (fructose) and then it comes concentrated until you get a syrup, lightly more fluid some honey, but without flavor, able to sweeten 25% more white sugar.
Agave: contraindications of the natural sweetener
What is the glycemic index
L'index glicemico (GI or GI Glycemic Index) of a food indicates the rate at which blood sugar rises (amount of glucose in the blood) following the intake of a quantity of food containing 50 grams of carbohydrates. In other words, it is an indicator of how fast the carbohydrate in question comes demolished, in the simple sugars of which it is composed (if it is not a monosaccharide); And absorbed and placed in the blood, below form of glucose, to be available as energy source for cells.
So the glycemic index is a important parameter to define the energy availability of a carbohydrate. Therefore feed with low glycemic index release energy quite so constant for a prolonged period, allowing avoid feeling hungry a few hours after the meal.
In 1981 the Canadian David Jenkins introduced one standard reference scale, to easily measure the hyperglycemic power of each saccharide and compare them with each other. He arbitrarily awarded a index 100 to glucose and then measured him for various foods glycemic effects, always comparing them to those of glucose and thus assigning to each of them a value, that is a index.
From this study it emerged that not only fruit and milk, but even it common sugar (sucrose) has a lower glycemic index than some of the more common starchy foods. This knowledge allows those who have to monitor the level of glucose in the blood, to include in the diet some foods that were previously not recommended. Today it is possible to do the same with any food; a high index corresponds to a high glycemic response and vice versa.
We report a comparative table ofglycemic index of Agave compared to other sugars:
- Agave juice 27
- Fructose 32
- Lactose 65
- Miele 83
- Corn syrup 89
- Sucrose 92
- Glucose 137
Agave juice: properties
Agave juice plays aremineralizing action, as it contains a large amount of calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron; and despite being composed for about 90% fructose (whose main carbohydrate is linulin) maintains a lower glycemic index other sugars, as well as honey itself.
This means that the speed with which agave syrup ingested it increases the glucose level, turns out to be the lower among the natural sweeteners, after stevia. This means it will not increase insulin production in those with diabetes.
Also for his low calorie and the natural sweetener, ideal in low calorie diets, for people who are looking to lose a few pounds and for the children, given the amount of valuable nutrients.
Also find out about the properties, use and contraindications of stevia
How to use agave juice
Agave syrup can be used as sugar substitute in many recipes; vegans can use it as a replacement for honey. You can use agave for sweeten drinks, even cold like the cold tea, because yes dissolves quickly, as it possesses a 'high solubility.
If you want to employ to cook, due to its high sweetening power and the lack of flavor, you can use the agave juice in the preparation of desserts, remembering, however, to use less than the XNUMX/XNUMX cup sugar White, as 75 grams of agave juice sweeten like about 100 grams of refined sugar.
Agave syrup: properties, use, contraindications
To learn more:
> What are the foods for diabetics
Credit foto: Leigh Anne Meeks
