Calling all tequila lovers: a study conducted at the American Chemical Society has found that the hard liquor can aid in weight loss.
Agavins, a type of natural sugar that comes from the agave plant (not to be confused with the more commonly used agave syrup), can be found in tequila, Time reported. These particular sugars are don’t raise blood sugar the way normal sugars may, and are not digestible, according to Mexican researchers.
To reach this conclusion, a team of scientists added agavins to the water given to test mice. They discovered that mice who consumed agavins compared to those that did not ingest it ate less overall and had lower blood glucose levels.
How does this help with weight loss and management? Agavins produces a hormone called GLP-1 that produces insulin and keeps you full for longer. The Daily Mail puts the matter simply, saying that the sugars “raise levels of a gut hormone that tells the brain it is time to stop eating.” The hormone enhances the feeling of fullness, preventing us from eating unnecessarily.
Agavins also do not produce the many negative side effects that result from the overconsumption of artificial sugars, such as headaches.
Elite Daily reported that the scientists who conducted this study believe that agavins are a viable light sweetener substitute since “they are sugars, highly soluble, have a low glycemic index, and a neutral taste, but most important, they are not metabolized by humans.”
These findings could help the approximately 26 million Americans suffering from diabetes, as the study supports that the sugars found in the plant that makes tequila could lower blood glucose levels for people with type 2 diabetes.
While you should not consider taking a shots of tequila throughout the day to help aid your weight loss efforts, the fact scientists might be able to develop a sweetener that lowers sugar levels instead of raising them is revolutionary.
That being said, you can feel less guilty about ordering that second margarita!