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 | | Agave Extract
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Glycemic Index:11
Agave Extract is
the natural food sweetener with the lowest Glycemic
Index (GI).
Agave Extract is a new natural sweetener made from
certified organic Agave using a heat process with absolutely no chemicals. The
syrup is derived from the pineapple-shaped core of the wild Agave, a cactus-like
plant native to Mexico, Best known for its use in making tequila. It consists of
90% fructosan (a complex form of fructose or fruit sugars) and 10% glucose.
These sugars are absorbed into the body far more slowly than sucrose, decreasing
the highs and lows associated with sucrose intake. It is therefore an ideal
sweetener for people who want to lose weight, diabetics and hyperglycemic
persons. And since Agave Extract is 50% sweeter than sucrose, you can use less
and save on calories.
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What is GI?
The Glycemic Index ranks foods on how they affect blood sugar levels.
It measures the uncrease in blood sugar 2-3 hours after eating.
GI is important because it indicate how quickly a food shows up as
blood sugar. The lower the GI, the more time the body has to absorb the
carbohydrate without overreacting.
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Why is it important?
The modern diet is too high in fast-release carbohydrates. These high-GI
sugars and starchy foods that the body converts into sugars are addictive. They
enter the bloodstream very quickly, producing a "sugar rush." The
normal (non-diabetic) body responds by overproducing insulin to break down or
digest the excess sugar molecules as quickly as possible. This overcompensation
reduces the blood sugar blow the optimum level, resulting in the
"letdown" feeling called hypoglycemia. This, in turn, produces a
craving for more carbohydrates--nature's attempt to redress the imbalance. The
result of these pendulum swings is a continuing cycle that stresses the body,
causes obesity and mood swings that make effective dieting extremely difficult.
For a Diabetic, the situation is even more extreme because the body cannot
manufacture enough insulin to "take care" of excess blood sugar, and
the consequences are catastrophic.
Benefit of low GI diets:
 | Can help people loss weights |
| May decrease the likelihood that middle-aged people will develop diabetes
and heart disease. |
| Can help control established diabetes |
| Can improve the body's sensitivity to insulin |
| May help lower blood lipids |
Low GI foods reduce the Glycemic Index of the meal as a whole!
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