 |
What is Glucomannan?
By Dr. Karen Yale B.A., D.C., C.C.N., D.A.C.B.N.
It’s a fact that most Americans don’t get enough fiber in their diet. Our lifestyle of eating processed foods on the run could be to blame. Yet fiber is so important for a number of functions:
• Digestion
• Cardiovascular
• Cholesterol
• Blood sugar
• Weight
The effect of fiber on your weight has received a lot of attention lately. A high fiber diet may help you manage your weight since high-fiber foods make you feel full and satisfied. Whether for weight loss, or general health, I recommend you get about 25 grams of fiber every day, including both soluble and insoluble fiber.
Soluble and Insoluble Fiber
Neither soluble nor insoluble fiber is digested, so it’s not absorbed into the bloodstream. Soluble fiber forms a gel when mixed with liquid, while insoluble fiber passes through your intestines, essentially intact.
Insoluble fiber is not soluble in water. Insoluble fiber speeds up the movement of food through the digestive system. Since it promotes regularity, it helps remove toxins through your system more quickly, decreasing the amount of time toxic material sits in your system. Examples of insoluble fiber include wheat bran, whole grains, fruit skins, and green beans to name just a few.
Soluble fiber is soluble in water. It boosts overall health by helping to maintain cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Examples of soluble fiber include psyllium, flaxseed, nuts, oats, apples, pears and glucomannan.
What is Glucomannan?
From the tuber (root) of the Konjac plant (Amorphophallus Konjak), glucomannan has been receiving a lot of attention lately due to its potential role in weight loss. Konjac is a perennial plant unique to Asia and frequently cultivated in Japan. For more than 2,000 years it’s been used to thicken certain foods and has been used in the U.S. for many years also.
Glucomannan is the richest soluble fiber in nature. It’s able to absorb an enormous amount of water, 50 to 200 times its weight. Because of this it has been the subject of studies on obesity. It produces a sensation of satiety, or satisfaction, so you eat less. While you can add glucomannan to soups or puddings, you can ingest it in a capsule as well.
Glucomannan and Weight Loss
Because glucomannan is a fiber, it helps support weight loss goals five ways:
1. It makes you feel full without contributing to calories
2. It gives you a feeling of satisfaction so you’re less likely to mindlessly eat
3. It reduces your cravings for high-calorie snacks by helping glucose processing
4. It has a very low carbohydrate content
5. It replaces fat and sugar calories that may contribute to weight gain
If you eat at least 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables, good sources of fiber, each day, along with at least 6 servings of grain, you’re probably getting enough fiber. If you’re like most people and you aren’t getting the proper servings…or if you want support with weight loss, you may give glucomannan a try.
For more information about fiber, check out these sites:
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4574
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dietaryfiber.html