How Gymnema works, the plant that makes you eat less sweets because it inhibits its flavor

Obviously, sugar is not good for us, but it's so good! And, like all those who have run into sugar candy, I can make sure once you get started It can be hard to stop, if only something interrupted this deadly and delicious cycle …

One of the ways people used to stop the sugar train over the years years ago is consuming gymnema, a woody vine that grows in the tropics of India, Africa and Australia, its bitter compounds have been used for centuries in traditions such as the l? Ayurveda to control sugar cravings and treat diabetes There is even evidence of its use 2,000 years ago in the treatment of "honey urine", a poetic and archaic term for diabetes. 19659004] Operation of Gymnema

The most remarkable effect Gymnema's quable is that after testing the leaf, your tongue will no longer be able to it. It will be less able to taste the sweetness of the food. A 2017 article published in the Journal of Oral Biosciences and reviewed by Japanese experts revealed that gymnemic acids can interact with the sweet taste receptors of your tongue, which prevents you from tasting the sweetness. And a 2014 study by Biomed Research International found that gym acids are chemically similar to sugar molecules and can block the activation of taste buds.

It is usually a very effective mechanism. The human tests reported in an article published in 1999 in the journal Chemical Senses revealed that people's ability to identify sweet taste after washing with gymnemic acid in a test at the same time. blind had been reduced to only 14% of their capacity. natural to identify it.

Gymnastics acids can also adhere to the surface of the intestine, thus preventing the absorption of sugar molecules and reducing blood sugar levels . MedlinePlus reports that gymnema supplements "may affect blood sugar levels", although the available evidence is not solid. For this reason, they advise people with diabetes to observe signs of hypoglycemia and take special care when the herb is taken with insulin.

The gymnema comes in many forms

The herb and its compounds. They are available without prescription in many forms. The choice you choose will depend on the effects you expect and the importance you attach to bitter flavors.

Tea

One of the traditional methods of taking gymnema is like a tea. But it's a bitter drink, and it's not the easiest way to consume the herb. You can buy packaged tea bags like these that get reviews as brilliant as "The taste is not as bad as some critics mention it". It is at least cheap and direct.

Capsules

Gymnema is available in capsules or tablets at health food stores. Although capsules may have the effect of blocking the intestinal absorption of glucose, they will not have the immediate and soothing effects of tea.

Pills

There is a way to get the benefits of the sweetness of gymnema without having to undergo the taste of tea: with a flavored pill. It is sold commercially as Sweet Defeat, formerly called Crave Crush. A tablet of 60 tablets costs $ 49.99.

Sweet Defeat funds a research published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology and conducted by clinical psychologist Eric Stice and his Oregon Research Institute team on the formulation of the pill Stice and his team recruited 67 adults and asked them to choose their favorite treats on a reserve. Everyone ate a portion and then took the pill or placebo. Then they were offered another candy. Those who got the active ingredient were 31% less likely to take a second caramel and those who had obtained it stated that "the usability of the candies was reduced."

What to expect from Gymnema

When Sweet Defeat's ads began to appear, it was only a matter of time before I pull the trigger and command a refuel. I spoke to Andrea Lawson, a client who left positive comments on Sweet Defeat's Facebook page, and she told me what to expect:

"After taking a pill, anything that tastes sweet is really bad, "she says. "It's like eating cereals after you finish brushing your teeth." Lawson says the most difficult to use Sweet Defeat is, well, use it.

"The hardest thing is to take a tablet to suck when I crave sugar, instead of taking the cookie right in front of me," Lawson says. "It's the real challenge."

The envelopes of the sweet defeat are in a cheery blue tone. Each tablet contains a milligram of zinc and two milligrams of gymnema leaf extract, as well as extracts of sorbitol and spirulina

Like Lawson, the first hurdle for me was to start. I knew I had to try the pills, but I did not want to. I thought maybe I would start my experiment tomorrow, after a good ice cream tonight.

When I finally decided to start my tests, for the sake of scientific rigor, I bought a pack of mini cups of Reese peanut butter and Ben & Jerry products. . After two cups of peanut butter, I tried a pill. I knew mint and the kind of medicine, nothing unpleasant. My tongue was strangely dull.

After a few minutes, I unpacked a new cup of peanut butter and, filled with fear, I bit him.

I knew it very well. I sat down and methodically ate more. Ice cream does not slow me down either.

I kept a reserve in my work bag and tried it several times over the next few weeks, but I could not gasp enough to hold myself back. The experience of taking and the oddly pleasant taste of the pill reminded me that I was trying to be healthier. So to a certain extent it made me more aware, I suppose.

I do not know if my love for sugar is more powerful than that of others, or it is only a lucky few for whom the acids of gymnastics can actually block cravings. Gymnema seems to work for many people, even if it is not enough to keep me away from the ice department.