Agave is an increasingly popular substitute for honey and sugar. But is it healthy?

Once primarily used as a key ingredient in the production of spirits like tequila and mezcal, agave is now also thriving as an increasingly popular sugar substitute. 

It's sometimes heated and concentrated into a syrup to be drizzled over pancakes or to be used in baking desserts, and it is frequently added as a sweetener to cocktails, tea, coffee and fruit smoothies. "Agave may be a better choice than sugar or even artificial sweeteners in smoothies, but I prefer fresh or frozen fruit as a natural sweetener," says Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, an adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University and author of "Finally Full, Finally Slim."

What is agave? 

Agave is a sweetener derived from the sap of the agave plant - but when most people talk about agave in the food space, they are usually referring to agave syrup - sometimes called agave nectar - which is alcohol-free. 

"Agave syrup comes primarily from the blue agave plant and is known to be sweeter - likely from its higher fructose content - than other sweeteners," says Kate Zeratsky, RD, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Indeed, a report from the College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois notes that agave is 1.5 times sweeter than even table sugar, - so it takes less of it to achieve the same level of sweetness as other sweeteners. 

Agave syrup comes in light, amber, and dark colors and grades, and is available online and in most grocery store in the natural foods section.

What does agave do for the body? 

Though it's often marketed "as a 'natural and healthier' alternative to traditional sweeteners like sugar," explains Jen Messer, a nutrition consultant and registered dietitian at Jen Messer Nutrition, agave shouldn't be considered a "health food." 

It does, however, offer a few health benefits worth considering including having a low glycemic index (GI), says Young. The GI is a scale of 0-100 that is assigned to various foods to show how quickly and how much they raise blood sugar levels after consumption. Foods with a high GI are known to spike blood sugar levels more than foods with a low GI. Table sugar has a GI of 65, honey has a GI of 58, and maple syrup has a GI of 54. Agave syrup, by contrast, is a sweetener with a GI of 17 for some versions of the product, and a GI as low as 10 for others.

"Coming from a plant, agave also has trace amounts of minerals including iron, potassium and magnesium," says Zeratsky. It's natural plant base makes agave a suitable option for vegans as well.

Is agave better for you than honey or sugar? 

But that doesn't mean agave is necessarily good for you. "Excessive consumption of any sweetener, including agave, may have health implications," says Young. Such problems could include weight gain as agave has more calories than table sugar, and possible connections to conditions such as fatty liver disease. 

"There's also more fructose in agave than in other sugars and syrups," says Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, a Virginia-based registered dietician and author of "Prediabetes: A Complete Guide." She says agave is "about 80% fructose compared to only about 55% in high fructose corn syrup." While lower glucose levels in agave keeps it GI low, high fructose levels bring many health challenges.

While everyone should limit the amount of added sugars they consume daily, those managing gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome should especially limit their consumption of fructose because it can cause bloating, diarrhea, and other issues due to it being poorly absorbed in such individuals.

"Agave isn’t a healthier choice than any other sweetener," Messer says, "but the choice often comes down to personal preference and specific dietary needs as each type of sweetener brings its own unique flavor and nutritional characteristics."

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