The Blue Agave plant, best known for providing us with tequila, contains compounds called fructans that may help protect against osteoporosis by boosting the body’s absorption of calcium and magnesium that are important for bone growth.

Mercedes Lopez, of the National Polytechnic Institute in Guanajuato, tested the effects of agave fructans on laboratory mice. Those fed the compounds absorbed more calcium from food, excreted less calcium in their feces, and showed a 50% increase in levels of a protein associated with the building of new bone tissue.

Fructans, non-digestible fibrous carbohydrates made of a chain link of fructose molecules, may also have other health benefits. Some experimental studies have found that they may help prevent diabetes and obesity, stimulate the immune system, and decrease levels of disease-causing bacteria in the intestine. Other foods that contain fructans include artichokes, garlic, onions, and chicory.

Inulin-type fructans from chicory are already in wide use in the US and other countries in ice cream, breakfast cereals, baked goods, sauces, beverages, and other foods to provide a sweet taste without additional calories. Lopez suggests that agave fructans could be used in the same way and may be more accessible, as the plant grows abundantly in Mexico, Southwest US, and other countries whose climates do not support the growth of chicory.

The research also found that agave fructans may be more likely to enhance satiety, making people feel full on less food because they have a greater effect on the stimulation of incretins, a group of gastrointestinal hormones that increase the amount of insulin released by the pancreas. This effect would also be beneficial for diabetics. Agave nectar is already in use in the US as an alternative to sugar.

Unfortunately, grabbing a margarita after work won’t likely help in the fight against osteoporosis, diabetes, or obesity. Fructans do not occur in tequila because they change into alcohol when the agave is processed. Also, excessive alcohol is one of the risk factors for developing osteoporosis because it interferes with the balance of calcium in the body. It also increases parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels which reduce calcium reserves and interferes with the production of vitamin D, a nutrient essential for calcium absorption.