Made from a cactus plant called blue agave, agave syrup is sweeter than regular sugar. It is used in a variety of food products marketed as being healthy, gluten-free or low glycemic index. Although agave syrup is often viewed as a healthier sweetener, it doesn't provide any of the valuable nutrients your body needs and the sugar it contains could actually be dangerous for your liver.
Agave Syrup and Fructose
The sweeter taste of agave syrup is due to its higher fructose content. Unlike regular table sugar, honey and maple syrup, which contain roughly equal amounts of fructose and glucose, 90 percent of the sugar found in agave syrup is fructose. Even high-fructose corn syrup, which is perceived as being high in fructose, is not that high in fructose, with about 55 percent of its sugar in the form of fructose.
Fructose and Fatty Liver
An excess fructose consumption is associated with an increased risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, according to a study published in June 2008 in "Journal of Hepatology." As such, if you consume large amounts of agave syrup on a regular basis, your higher fructose intake could endanger your liver. Unlike other forms of sugar, your liver has to metabolize fructose. The easiest way for the liver to get rid of fructose is to transform it into a triglyceride, or a type of fat. Unfortunately, a lot of these triglycerides can get stuck in the liver, where they accumulate, causing your liver to enlarge. With time, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease can cause cirrhosis, a condition similar to what occurs in alcoholics that affects the functioning of the liver.
Replacing Sugar with Agave Syrup
Agave syrup is not the only source of fructose in the American diet. The increased consumption of sugar in general, added to foods or beverages, is responsible for the increased intake of fructose and the higher prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases. All types of sugars contain fructose, as do syrups, honey, molasses, high-fructose corn syrup, dehydrated cane juice and concentrated fruit juices. However, if you decide to replace your regular sweetener with equal amounts of agave syrup, your fructose intake will increase by 56 percent. For example, replacing 1 tbsp. of table sugar with 1 tbsp. of agave syrup increases your fructose intake by about 5 g. Additionally, if you use agave syrup in your recipes, replacing 1/2 cup of honey with 1/2 cup of agave syrup would result in an non-negligible increase of 20 g of fructose.
Prevent Fatty Liver Disease
If you worry about the health of your liver, reduce your consumption of fructose from all forms of sweeteners. Eliminate processed foods and sugary drinks completely from your diet. This change will also help you lose weight, which can benefit the health of your liver and even reverse fatty liver disease if you already have this problem. Use whole foods that are naturally free of fructose and sugar to satisfy your sweet tooth, such as plain yogurts, almonds, natural peanut butter and dark chocolate with over 70 percent cocoa. If you wish to use agave syrup, use no more than 1/2 to 1 tsp. a day to keep your fructose intake as low as possible and protect the health of your liver.
References
- CharlesPoliquin.com; Debunking the Blue Agave Myth; Jonny Bowden; 2011
- "Sugar:The Bitter Truth"; Robert H. Lustig; July 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; February 2011
- "Journal of Hepatology"; Fructose Consumption as a Risk Factor for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Xiaosen Ouyang, et al.; June 2008
