The American Chemical Society (ACS) revealed that a sweetener created from a plant used to make tequila can help weight loss and diabetes. 

Researchers discovered the agave plant could lower blood glucose levels because of a natural form of sugar. The agavins, found in the agave plant, are non-digestible and can act as a dietary fiber. 

"We believe that agavins have a great potential as light sweeteners since they are sugars, highly soluble, have a low glycemic index, and a neutral taste, but most important, they are not metabolized by humans. This puts agavins in a tremendous position for their consumption by obese and diabetic people," according to the study. 

The sugar also produces GLP-1, which allows the body to make an increased amount of insulin. 

"GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) is a hormone that slows the stomach from emptying, thereby stimulating production of insulin,"  Mercedes G. López, researcher from Centro de Investigación in Guanajuato, Mexico said. "Agavins are not expensive and they have no known side effects, except for those few people who cannot tolerate them," she added.

The researchers fed a group of mice a standard diet and added the "tequila" sugars to their daily water. They weighed the mice daily and checked their glucose levels weekly. The majority of mice that consumed the sweetener ate less, lost weight and decreased glucose levels. 

Since agavins contain fructoses, some question whether the sugar is similar to fructose corn syrup, a processed sweetener that recently received backlash because of its link to overeating and obesity. 

According to the study, the sweetener contains fructans, long branched chains of fructoses linked together that the human body can't use and as a result, don't affect blood sugar. 

Agavins often get confused with agave nectar and agave syrup but both products contain fructoses that are broken down and absorbed in the body, which can add calories. 

Researchers pointed out that drinking tequila won't help your consumption of agavins. The fermentation from the agave plant converts the agavins to ethanol and therefore, eliminates the sweetener from the finished product.