Agave striata has a greater range of leaf hues, including green or blue-green. But Agave striata may also be tinged with pink, red or purple, especially in hot, dry conditions.

"There's also more fructose in agave than in other sugars and syrups," says Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, a Virginia-based registered dietician and author of "Prediabetes: A Complete Guide."She says ...

The illustration shows an Agave striata leaf and the molecular structure of its fructans, with water molecules bound around the fructan chains. Credit. Monica Ortiz-Martinez, CIO.