The Agave plant shares a common habitat with many cacti, but it is not one itself. This plant is actually related to the lily and amaryllis but has its own genus, Agave. A mature agave has leaves 5-8 feet tall, and is 7-12 feet in diameter. It has a lifespan of 8-15 years.

One of the unique characteristics of this natural sweetener is that it is slowly metabolized. It has a very low Glycemic Index (GI) compared to sugar, honey, maple syrup or other sweeteners.

The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Foods with a high GI are those which are rapidly digested and absorbed and result in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Low-GI foods, by virtue of their slow digestion and absorption, produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have proven benefits for health.

Low GI diets have been shown to improve both glucose and lipid levels in people with diabetes (type 1 and type 2). They have benefits for weight control because they help control appetite and delay hunger. Low GI diets also reduce insulin levels and insulin resistance. Recent studies from Harvard School of Public Health indicate that the risks of diseases such as type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease are strongly related to the GI of the overall diet. In 1999, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recommended that people in industrialised countries base their diets on low-GI foods in order to prevent the most common diseases of affluence, such as coronary heart disease, diabetes and obesity. (from Glycemic Index Foundation).

For more information, read this presentation by American Diabetes Association 2006 Practical Use of the GI Johanna Burani, MS, RD, CDE.

According to the database of the Glycemic Index Foundation of the University of Sydney the Agave Nectar / Agave Syrup GI ranks between 10-11. The results from the Glycemic Index Laboratories in Canada show a Glycemic Index for Agave Syrup of 27.5. These results vary because both institutions use different methodologies to determine the GI. In any case, both of these results are very low. In the same database of the Glycemic Index Foundation , Honey has a GI of 87.

Agave Syrup is very sweet and it is typically used as a sugar replacement in quality organic foods.