For people who love the taste of agave syrup, the glycemic index scale ratings may not be top of mind. After all, agave syrup is best known for its excellent reputation as a natural sweetener (it has been claimed to be around 1.6 times sweeter than sugar), and as a result, the health benefits can be said to be they may not be helpful. immediately important. However, one must realize that the target market, the health conscious, data such as glycemic index or GI ratings, no matter the food, are always important, and perhaps especially more so in this case given that the use The main part of the syrup is simply to improve the flavor.
Produced in Mexico from any of several species of this plant, such as blue agave, agave salmiana, spiny agave, and rainbow agave, it is known for its sweetness. In fact, it’s sweeter than honey and even thinner, making it easy to pour, use, and serve.
This syrup can be made in different ways. Obtaining it from blue agave plants, workers first extract the juice from the heart of the plants themselves. This raw juice is first filtered and then heated. It is then processed further by concentrating to a liquid that has a syrup-like consistency and can vary in color from dark to light depending on how the juice was processed. If the workers are going to harvest agave syrup from the Agave Salmiana, they do so by cutting its ‘quiote’ stem and collecting the liquid that accumulates in the hole where the stem grew. This liquid is called ‘aquamiel’ and is then processed into agave syrup by adding various enzymes.
Thanks to its special qualities, namely sweetness and low viscosity, this syrup is often used as a substitute for honey and sugar. As mentioned above, the wide variety of agave variants available, from light agave syrup to dark agave syrup, ensures that this sweetener has a multiplicity of uses. Light agave syrup, thanks to its relatively more delicate flavor, is ideal for use in light-flavored foods and beverages, such as chicken and various iced teas, as it will not overpower such foods. Conversely, at the other end of the spectrum, the more flavorful dark can be an excellent flavor enhancer for certain highly flavored foods, such as meats and some seafood dishes.
No wonder agave syrup is so sweet. Fully processed agave syrup consists almost entirely of fructose and glucose, up to 92% fructose and 8% glucose. The overwhelming concentration of fructose means that agave syrup has roughly the same GI rating as fructose; both have a low glycemic index. However, one should still be cautious regarding the use of sweeteners, as whether they have a high GI or not, they can be harmful to health if consumed in excess.