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Glucomannan is a water-soluble dietary fiber that is derived from the Konjac root. Konjac is a perennial plant unique to Asia, and cultivated in Japan. The fresh Konjac tuber contains an average of 13% dry matter, of which 70% is Glucomannan, and the remaining 30% is starch. Glucomannan is a polysaccharide consisting of repeating units of beta-D-glucose and beta-D-mannose joined together in a chain by 1,4 linkages. Historically, Glucomannan has been used in traditional Asian foods such as noodles, tofu and other food products. Konjac flour (made from the tubers) has been a healthy Japanese jelly called konyaku for over two centuries. By expanding in the stomach, Glucomannan is said to be useful for people trying to lose weight. Fiber-containing foods such as Oats are known to help reduce cholesterol, improve bowel functioning, and assist in weight reduction by creating a feeling of fullness. However, many people have a hard time consuming enough fiber from food, and turn to fiber supplements such as Guar Gum and Pectin to help fulfill their daily requirements and get that feeling of satiety. Glucomannan offers a significant advantage over these other forms of fiber; much smaller doses can achieve optimum results. In water, it can swell up to seventeen times its original volume. These qualities make it extremely effective and convenient as a fiber supplement. Although Glucomannan can be derived from other sources such as yeast, most studies to date have used Glucomannan purified from the Konjac root. Several small controlled studies have found Glucomannan to be effective for reducing total cholesterol levels in otherwise healthy adults. Glucomannan reduced bad cholesterol (LDL) and, according to some studies, increased good cholesterol (HDL). In addition, Glucomannan may improve other risk factors for heart disease, such as high triglyceride levels and high blood pressure. Several studies have suggested that Glucomannan may also help the body to regulate blood sugar levels and, therefore, could be helpful in cases of diabetes. |
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The common name Hoodia is derived from Hoodia gordonii, a succulent, leafless plant of the extensive Asclepiadaceae family. Although Hoodia resembles a cactus, it is not a cactus, as many people believe. Hoodia gordonii grows primarily in northwestern parts of South Africa and has been used as a food for centuries in this area to control hunger and thirst during Bushmen hunting expeditions in the Kalahari Desert. It is important to obtain true, premium quality Hoodia gordonii that has been grown and harvested only by farmers who have been granted special permission and a license by South African Nature Conservation officials to do so. The plant is then processed under South African government pharma-ceutical control and exported legally. (Beware of Internet sites offering Hoodia, but in fact selling a Chinese 20:1 extract. Be sure to purchase the authentic South African product.) Research with animals has found that Hoodia enhances weight loss by curbing the appetite naturally. Hoodia gordonii is entirely natural - it is not a drug and has no stimulant properties. There is interest, however, from various pharmaceutical companies in trying to synthesize the naturally-occurring, appetite-suppressing component, P57, in order to possibly create a patentable drug in the future. P57 works by influencing the hypothalamus, a specific region of your brain. Within that mid-brain, there are nerve cells that sense the presence of glucose sugar. When you eat, your blood sugar goes up, and these cells start "firing" to indicate when you are full. Hoodia seems to contain a molecule that is about 10,000 times more active than glucose. This constituent travels quickly to the mid-brain region and makes those same nerve cells "fire" as if you were full. But at that point you have not eaten nearly as much as would be necessary for the natural body process to provide that same signal. As a result, you feel physically satisfied, and can more easily limit your food consumption. The inclusion of Hoodia in a sensible diet plan, along with daily exercise, may help reduce food intake, and therefore, calories consumed. |
