Is agave a better sweetener for people with diabetes?

There are no easy shortcuts to better blood sugar, so beware the claims of natural sweeteners like agave. The following guidelines will help you find healthy sweetener options for diabetics.

You may have read that agave nectar or syrup — made from the sap of a succulent Mexican plant — is a "healthier" alternative to sugar. You can find agave in squeeze bottles at supermarkets next to the honey, or online in a huge array of flavours, such as maple, blueberry, hazelnut and cappuccino. It's also used as an ingredient in beverages, energy bars and baked goods.

Turns out, agave syrup isn't all it's cracked up to be. It has more calories — 20 per five millilitres (one teaspoon) — than table sugar and ranks lower in disease-fighting antioxidants than many other natural sweeteners, including honey and maple syrup.

What about the claim that agave is a better choice for diabetics? The Glycemic Research Institute in Washington, D.C., rescinded the "diabetic friendly" seal it had given to agave after studies revealed some products caused severe blood-sugar swings. (However, that may not be solely due to agave; some products were mixed with glucose-fructose sweeteners, which was not disclosed on the label.) If you like agave's unique flavour, fine, but use it very sparingly.

1. Try swapping flavour for sugar; simply sprinkle two millilitres (half a teaspoon) daily on food. It's a natural on oatmeal or toast (just don't slather on sugar and butter, too, or you'll defeat the purpose).
2. Dust cinnamon on fruit — especially apples, strawberries or blueberries — or stir it into smoothies.
3. One warning: Don't take more than two millilitres (half a teaspoon) a day. Cinnamon contains coumarin, a fragrant compound that acts as a blood thinner. Large intake of coumarin over a long time could cause liver damage, though reports of this happening are relatively rare.