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The 8 Essential Glyconutrients That Should Be In Your Diet

pinoyusana — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 15:11:10 +0000

Medical science has finally cracked the process of cellular communication, a breakthrough in understanding exactly how the process of communicating between one cell to another, or one cell to other microorganisms happens. Scientists have long wondered how the body determines which antibodies to release in case of an attack to the immune system or how the digestive system knows which nutrient to absorb and how best to absorb it. These and a much wider spectrum of cellular functions are now understood, thanks to the discovery of plant carbohydrates or monosaccharide called glyconutrients.

There are more than 200 known carbohydrates or sugars. However, only 8 of these are essential to how the body functions and only two of them appear on a constant basis in a typical diet. These are:

Xylose – Usually a sugar in the production of chewing gums, xylose was recently discovered to help extensively in preventing the formation of cancer cells in the digestive system.

Fucose – Most abundant in some varieties of mushrooms, Undaria pinnatifida, a type of macro seaweed, and the milk of the human breast, fucose is an essential carbohydrate that has properties that can affect how the brain develops, how cells communicate, and how the immune system inhibits the growth of tumors in various areas of the body. It was also found to help prevent allergic reactions as well as guard the respiratory tract against contracting infections.

Galactose – Like fucose, galactose is found in high quantities in the human milk as well as other dairy products. Among its many benefits are accelerated wound healing, increase in calcium absorption, and reduction in inflammation.

Glucose – This is a good source of energy that is released directly into the bloodstream, thus it has the power to drive bodily functions faster than ordinary energy sources. In clinical studies, glucose has exhibited results like enhanced memory and better calcium absorption on top of enhancing cell to cell communication.

Mannose – Primarily obtained from the sap of Gum Ghatti, manose is a potent inhibitor of tumor growth and plays a major role in the prevention of various parasitic, fungal and bacterial infections. It also plays an important part in tissue remodeling.

N-acetylglucosamine – From N-acetylglucosamine comes glucosamine, a metabolic product that has properties suitable for relieving conditions commonly associated with severely deteriorated bones and cartilages. Glucosamine is known for repairing cartilage, for improving range of motion for patients with osteoarthritis and in relieving pain and inflammation associated with these conditions.

N-acetylgalactosamine – With limited information on this glyconutrient, it was found that it functions much like the rest of its kind. It can inhibit the growth of tumors in various parts of the body and is also crucial in cell to cell communication.

N-acetylneuraminic acid – This saccharide is known to decrease in level as the human body grows old. According to studies, it is crucial in performance, brain development, learning and memory as well as in the removal of various pathogens from the body.

These 8 essential glyconutrients, with their properties and health benefits, keep your health and bodily functions at optimal levels by focusing on the needs that arise from the cellular level. Each cell needs ample supply of these plant carbohydrates to improve the immune system and enhance its defenses, keep cellular communication efficient, and in general, create the appropriate conditions to keep health at its peak.

Glyconutrients A New Paradigm

pinoyusana — Fri, 14 May 2010 09:01:21 +0000

For many years carbohydrates and sugars were considered a bad and unnecessary addition to the diet. With the advent of Glycobiology (the study of carbohydrates) Science has proved that this is not so. In fact on the contrary, Glyconutrients have been proved to be very beneficial to our health. Now after years of neglect science is discovering some far-reaching truths about these carbohydrates.

Glyconutrients play an essential role in the structure of the cells in our bodies. All our cells are covered with fibers called glycoforms made up of proteins and fats. With the invention of the electron microscope, Scientists discovered trillions of sugar molecules adhering to these fibers or hair like structures. These sugar molecules are Glyconutrients and are in effect carbohydrate nutrients.

Contrary to previous speculation Glyconutrients are emerging as vital nutrients to the body. Their functions are varied and include hormone balance, enhancing our immune system, blood clotting. They help to create a communication system for the cells.

There are 8 necessary saccharides needed by our bodies they are called Glyconutrients

• Mannose

• Glucose

• Galactose

• Xylose:

• Fuctos (not fructose)

• N-acetylglucosamine

• N-acetylneuramic acid

• N-acetylgalactosamine

They can be found naturally in a few foods. So why is there a need for us to take these Glyconutrients? Although they are found in these natural foods, and sometimes even manufactured by the body, Glyconutrients are sometimes lacking in our bodies. This is because stress, environmental factors and just poor eating habits cause us to get less of these vital nutrients, thus causing a deficiency in our bodies. Further many glyconutrients can be denatured by picking produce green or may have never developed in a plant because of toxins(such as fertilizer) in the environment.

In order to restore the balance of these Glyconutrients to the body, supplements have been made. When taken they ensure that your body is receiving adequate amounts of these vital nutrients. This improves your immune system and the general health of your body resulting in better health and the ability to enjoy your life to the fullest.

Glycemic Control and Health

pinoyusana — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 08:18:33 +0000

Glycemic control is becoming widely recognized as an important issue in human nutrition and health. We have long known that generally high levels of blood sugar (fasting blood glucose levels above 120 mg/dL) are a risk factor for (and symptom of) type 1 and type 2 diabetes. But with the growing prevalence of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, we have come to appreciate the importance of “glycemic stress” as a factor in determining the risk, onset and progression of these and related disorders. Specifically, scientific research is pointing to the importance of calorie overload, insulin resistance, and frequent, broad excursions in blood sugar as leading dietary risk factors for overweight and obesity, metabolic syndrome, and eventually, type 2 diabetes.

In the simplest terms, calorie overload involves an imbalance between calories consumed via diet versus calories burned through resting metabolism and physical activity. When we eat too much and exercise too little, we are in a state of calorie overload, the most obvious symptom of which is weight gain. But other factors are involved. We are typically not just gaining weight, we are gaining body fat. And body fat is not a physiologically inert tissue. Recent research indicates that it is “hormonally active”, that it is associated with increased levels of oxidative stress, and that by its sheer mass, it imposes additional physical stress on our bodies and organs.

Frequent, broad excursions in blood glucose are a second risk factor for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Virtually every time we eat, we experience a rise in blood glucose as our foods are digested and sugars enter our blood stream. When we eat big meals rich in simple sugars and starches, the rises in blood sugar tend to be very high. In response, our bodies produce large amounts of insulin to drive that sugar into our cells where it can be used for energy. As this happens, our blood sugar drops, often below pre-meal levels. This makes us hungry and stimulates us to eat again, producing another rise and subsequent fall in blood sugar and encouraging a self-perpetuating cycle. In the short-term, these frequent and broad fluctuations in blood sugar lead to over eating, mood swings, and weight gain. In the long-term they are risk factors for metabolic syndrome, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic disorders.

Glycemic index and glycemic load are two characteristics of foods and diet that are relevant to this discussion. The glycemic index of a food is a measure of the rise in blood sugar that is produced by eating a set amount of that food. Foods with a high glycemic index produce large rises in blood sugar per unit of carbohydrate consumed. Foods with a low glycemic index produce small to modest rises in blood sugar per unit of carbohydrate consumed. The concept of glycemic load adds to the equation the amount of food you eat. If you eat a large amount of a high glycemic food (i.e. if you consume a large glycemic load) you will experience a much higher rise in blood sugar than if you eat a small amount of a high glycemic food or a moderate amount of a low glycemic food (i.e. if you consume a small glycemic load).

Insulin sensitivity is an additional factor of importance in glycemic control. When we are sensitive to our own insulin, it can readily shunt blood sugar into our cells where it is “burned” as energy and thereby disposed of. This helps to maintain healthy levels of sugar in our blood stream. But when we become insulin insensitive, or insulin resistant, we have trouble using and disposing of blood sugar. In response, our bodies over-produce insulin, which in the short-term exacerbates weight gain and in the long-term leads to metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.

Regular physical exercise and responsible weight management are keys to maintaining good insulin sensitivity.

The Undercover Vitamin

pinoyusana — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:32:04 +0000

There is a secret vitamin in the neighborhood, wandering around your body under cover. This “vitamin” has just one single purpose, although some researchers believe he has ulterior motives. He goes by the inconspicuous codename of “D” – vitamin D.

Don’t be fooled by his clever disguise. D is no vitamin. He’s a steroid hormone, slipping through your body under guise of a vitamin. And he doesn’t have dozens of functions, like vitamin C or vitamin E, just one vital mission – to mineralize your bones!

Mineralization is a key objective of every body. Imagine if we all had flabby bones. The world would look like a Salvador Dali nightmare. Vitamin D saves us from having flabby bones.

More importantly, vitamin D saves us from having brittle bones. He prevents us from rickets and osteomalacia by balancing the calcium and phosphorous in our blood. Ooh, that D is a clever one. Not only is he a master of disguises, but he is a master chemist, constantly monitoring, measuring and balancing the mix so it just right to ensure everybody has strong and healthy bones.

Word on the grapevine is that 30% to 40% of hip fractures in elderly people are the result of insufficient vitamin D. So we caught up with D, and managed to slip away with a rare interview transcript:

“D, some of your fans can’t get enough of you. What should they do?”

“Get plenty of sun. That is the key. Where the sun touches your skin, that’s where I will be.”

“But, D, what about people who can’t? What about people in the far north, or those who wear head-to-toe clothing or who are stuck indoors?”

“If you find yourself overdressed in a dungeon in Mongolia, get a good multi-vitamin supplement.”

“D, that’s a wonderful idea.”

“Or drink lots of milk, fortified with me, of course. Some breakfast cereals are fortified with me, too. I also hang out in a lot of saltwater fish, like tuna and sardines and herring and salmon. And I love to slip around in the ol’ cod liver oil.”

“So if we can’t get enough sun, milk and fish will do the trick.”

“That’s right, but be careful about milk products. Not all of them are made with fortified milk. I make no commitment to be there if they are not.”

“What about the supplements, D?”

“A good multivitamin supplement should do it for most people. Get a liquid supplement, cause those pills just don’t digest. You just end up flushing me down the toilet…ooh, I hate that feeling.”

“Yuck.”

“And you shouldn’t need a specific vitamin D supplement, because it is possible to overdose. And you wouldn’t want too much of a guy like me around.”

That was all we could slip through the lines. But I think we learned a lot about what it is like to live the life of a secret vitamin. To our hero, vitamin D, we offer our best wishes. May everybody get plenty of vitamin D to keep their bones strong and healthy for many years to come.