Lip smacking treats for diabetics that ensure insulin spikes

I came across an article today by an author who says he is a dietician specializing in diabetic diets. But under natural sweeteners he recommends agave nectar, honey, barley malt syrup, maple syrup, & sugar cane juice right along side stevia. No, no, no, no, no.

Stevia, like ZSweet® (erythritol), is an all natural zero calorie, zero glycemic sweetener. Caloric sweeteners & sugar substitutes with a glycemic impact should not be grouped with Stevia or ZSweet® as if we're comparing apples to apples. It misleads the consumer into thinking they're all the same & can be consumed without monitoring calories or GI. Those other sweeteners may be all natural, but they are not the safest option for people with diabetes & responsible authors should publish nutrition values for their readers, especially diabetic readers, when making recommendations.

Agave Nectar - 60 calories / 15 glycemic index
Barley Malt Syrup - 60 calories / 42 glycemic index
Honey - 64 calories / 30 glycemic index
Maple Syrup - 52 calories / 54 glycemic index
Sugar Cane Juice - 25 calories / 43 glycemic index
Stevia - 0 calories / 0 glycemic index
ZSweet® (erythritol) - 0.2 calories / 0 glycemic index
(see links to for average serving sizes)

"Agave not an ideal sugar substitute"

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We've found that many health conscious consumers are under the wrong impression about agave nectar. While it is all natural and lower glycemic than table sugar, it is not zero calories, and being that it is entirely fructose, it is not metabolized by the entire body, but instead is processed only by the liver, which if consumed in excess can lead to health problems.

We felt it was important to share this recent news article & video which illuminates the facts about agave which many people are using as if it were a zero calorie sweetener, when in reality it is closer to honey & needs to be used in moderation.

1 tbsp. agave - 60 calories / 32 Glycemic Index
1 tbsp. sugar - 48 calories / 68 Glycemic Index
1 tbsp. ZSweet® - 0 calories / 0 Glycemic Index

credit: ABC News