One manufacturer offering help is Chef Hymie Grande. The company has created a line of all-natural barbecue “glazes” flavored with low-glycemic agave nectar instead of other sugars.

Chef Hymie Grande claims to be the first BBQ sauce [glaze] to carry the American Diabetes Association mark on the bottle’s label; the company contributes 5% of sales to the ADA. The line is also vegan-friendly.

Three varieties are available:

• Mild New Mexico Sweet Barbecue Glaze, sweet and gentle-tasting with a suggestion of sweet spice (think cinnamon).
• Polapote* Barbecue Glaze made with ancho and chipotle, billed as medium-heat but delivering a nice amount of mild-to-medium heat.

We have no idea what “polapote” means. It’s not in the dictionary.

An BBQ glaze for people on sugar-free
diets. Photo by Katharine Pollak | THE NIBBLE.

• Cascabel Express Barbecue Glaze labeled “Surprisingly Hot,” but actually a full-medium heat.

All three glazes have a nice texture from crunchy onions. Two tablespoons contain 30-35 calories plus 5g-6g sugars, 7g-8g total carbohydrate and 15mg sodium.

By the way, glaze is a thin sauce. If you haven’t used glazes, the consistency is more like a vinaigrette dressing than a traditionally thick barbecue sauce.

If you’re looking for a sugar-free traditional barbecue sauce, take a look at Bellycheer Grilling Sauces.

Find all of our favorite barbecue sauces in our Rubs, Marinades & Glazes Section.