Některá data mohou pocházet z datové položky. Na řadě agave equivalent to sugar roste i volně: v Jižní Americe, Africe, Austrálii, Indii, Číně a v dalších částech Asie. Má šíři asi 1,8 až 3,0 metru se šedozelenými listy dlouhými 3,9 až 1,5 metru.

Každý list má pichlavý okraj a výrazný trn na špičce. Agáve typicky žije 10 až 30 let. Na konci svého života vysílá rostlina vysoký, rozvětvený stonek plný žlutých květů. Květ může dosáhnout celkové výšky 8-9 m.

Rostlina umírá po vykvetení, ale produkuje výhonky nebo odnože ze základové růžice, které pokračují v růstu. Zachovejte licenci, případně za dalších podmínek. Podrobnosti naleznete na stránce Podmínky užití. Agave Nectar: A Sweetener That’s Even Worse Than Sugar? Medically reviewed by Natalie Olsen, R.

The harmful effects of sugar are among the few things that most health experts agree upon. Because many health-conscious people try to avoid sugar, many other sweeteners — both natural and artificial — have become popular. One of those is agave nectar, which is often referred to as agave syrup. It’s found in various health foods and marketed as a natural, diabetic-friendly sweetener that doesn’t spike your blood sugar levels. However, this article explains why agave nectar may be worse for your health than plain sugar. The agave plant is native to the Southern United States and Latin America. Although agave is a new phenomenon in the West, it has been used in Mexico for hundreds — and perhaps thousands — of years.

Traditionally, agave was believed to have medicinal properties. The sugars in agave are also fermented to make tequila. In fact, tequila is the most common commercial use of agave today and one of Mexico’s best-known exports. Like many plants, agave likely has some health benefits. However, refining and processing tend to destroy some — or all — of these beneficial health effects. The refined agave sweetener that people consume today is no exception. SUMMARYAgave is a desert plant harvested to make tequila and sweet syrup.

It was traditionally believed to have healing properties. The sweetener commonly sold as agave nectar would be more accurately labeled as agave syrup. It has little in common with the traditional sweetener made historically by people in Mexico. That said, the beginning of its production process is the same. The plant is first cut and pressed to extract the sugary sap. This process — which is similar to how other unhealthy sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup are made — destroys all of the health-promoting properties of the agave plant.

SUMMARYThe agave sweetener sold today is made by treating agave sugars with heat and enzymes, which destroys all of its potentially beneficial health effects. The end product is a highly refined, unhealthy syrup. Unlike glucose, fructose does not raise blood sugar or insulin levels in the short term. Agave nectar has a very low GI — primarily because almost all of the sugar in it is fructose.

It has very little glucose, at least compared with regular sugar. A study in mice compared the metabolic effects of agave nectar and sucrose, or plain sugar, after 34 days. In such a short-term study, the glucose in plain sugar elevated both blood sugar and insulin levels, whereas fructose did not. That said, the GI is just one factor to consider when weighing the health effects of sweeteners. The harmful effects of agave — and sugar in general — have very little to do with the glycemic index but everything to do with the large amounts of fructose — and agave nectar is very high in fructose.

SUMMARYAgave nectar is low in glucose and therefore doesn’t spike blood sugar levels much. This gives the sweetener a low glycemic index. Although glucose and fructose look similar, they have completely different effects on your body. Glucose is an incredibly important molecule. It’s found in many healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, and your body even produces it to make sure that you always have enough.