Yacon Syrup Tastes Like Molasses

The following is a product review for an item I received in exchange for my honest opinion. This post contains affiliate links.

Yacon syrup... have you heard of it? I had not until recently. Life & Food recently offered the opportunity to try it, stating that it is:

• A natural sweetener made from yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius), a plant that grows in Peru.
• Low on the glycemic index scale.
• High in oligofructos, or inulin, a type of sugar that the body doesn't readily metabolize. 
• Low-calorie. 
• Increases fiber intake.
• An antioxidant.
• High in prebiotics and probiotics.
• Able to speed up your metabolism.
• Contains no added preservatives.

Well, I like sweet things, so I thought I'd give the syrup a try. The following are my non-professional findings after consuming 1 teaspoon of yacon syrup before every meal for two weeks:

• Taste:  Yacon syrup tastes similar to molasses. I like molasses.
• Metabolism: I did not notice a difference in my metabolism. 
• Calorie intake: Yacon syrup has 13 calories per teaspoon. Regular sugar has 16 calories per teaspoon. Molasses has 12 calories per teaspoon.
• Fiber intake: Yacon syrup does not contain any dietary fiber, so I'm not sure why Life & Food states that it increases your fiber intake. It does, however, get your digestive system going, which is good if you have regularity issues. 
• GI index: At the time of publication, I could not find any authoritative source that states the glycemic index number for yacon syrup.

I didn't realize that people use the syrup as a weight loss aid until I received the bottle. To confirm the claims, I did some digging online. Dr. Oz reports that it has helped some people lose weight when used in combination with diet and exercise. This is what experts said about studies related to Dr. Oz's study regarding yacon syrup and weight loss.

If you like the taste, yacon syrup may be a good addition to your pantry. If you plan to use for weight loss purposes, talk to your doctor first.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. This post contains affiliate links, meaning that I receive a small commission if you click on an Amazon.com link and make a purchase.