What is glucomannan?
Glucomannan is a natural dietary fiber, soluble in water is extracted from the roots of Yam the elephant, also known as konjac. It is available as a supplement, in mixed drinks and also added to food products, such as pasta and flour. It is also the main ingredient in shirataki noodles. Glucomannan comprises 40% of the dry weight of the elephant yarn, which is native to Southeast Asia. It has a long history of use in blends of herbs and foods such as tofu, noodles, and jelly konjac
Glucomannan has an exceptional ability to absorb water and is one of the dietary fibers more viscous acquaintances. So much liquid that if you empty a capsule glucomannan in a small glass of water, everything turns into a gel is absorbed. These unique properties are believed to mediate their effects on weight loss
Weight Loss Supplement with Glucomannan
Does glucomannan help lose weight?Glucomannan is a water-soluble dietary fiber. Like other soluble fibers, it is believed that the loss of weight through several mechanisms:
- It is very low in calories.
- Space in the stomach and promotes a feeling of fullness (satiety), reducing intake of foods in a subsequent meal.
- Slows the emptying of the stomach, which contributes to an increase of satiety
- Like other soluble fibers, reduces the absorption of proteins and fats
Also feeds the beneficial bacteria in the intestine, which makes it in fatty acids of short chain such as butyrate, shown to protect against the accumulation of fat in some animal studies
The power of the friendly intestinal bacteria can also have other benefits, and some studies have shown a correlation between body weight and altered intestinal bacteria. It is believed that these mechanisms to be similar to the effects of other soluble fibres on weight loss. However, glucomannan is different from other soluble fibers since it's even more viscous, making it particularly effective
In addition to promoting weight loss, glucomannan can improve a number of risk factors for heart disease. According to a systematic review of 14 studies, glucomannan can:
- Lowers total cholesterol 19 mg / dl (0.5 mmol / L)
- Low LDL cholesterol in a 16 mg / dl (0.4 mmol / L)
- reduce triglycerides of 11 mg / dl (0.12 mmol / L)
- Glycemia in fasting by 7.4 mg / dl (0.4 mmol / L)
The main mechanism by which reduces cholesterol in the blood is by decreasing the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine. According to these studies, glucomannan adding to your diet could potentially reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Being a water soluble fiber, glucomannan has also been used successfully to treat constipation
In contact with water, it expands and glucomannan can absorb up to 50 times their weight. Therefore, the recommended dose of glucomannan is lower in comparison with other fiber supplements. Glucomannan has no effect on weight loss unless it is taken before a meal. recommendations range from 15 minutes to 1 hour before a meal. Glucomannan is well tolerated and is considered generally safe. However, if glucomannan is expanded before reaching the stomach, it may cause choking or obstruction of the throat and the esophagus (the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach). To prevent this, wash down with 1-2 glasses of water or other liquid. Some people may experience mild side effects, such as swelling, flatulence, loose stools or diarrhea, but this tends to be rare. Glucomannan may also reduce the absorption of oral medications as a sulfonylurea, a drug for diabetes. This can be avoided by taking the drug for at least 4 hours later or an hour before eating the glucomannan
In case of trying to glucomannan?
According to the evidence, glucomannan is an effective supplement for weight loss. But just as that with almost any weight loss strategy, not working in isolation. The only known way to lose weight in the long term, is to make a permanent change in your lifestyle. Glucomannan may help make things easier, but will not work miracles on its single