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Wired for Sweet
For 10,000 years, humans have been infatuated with sugar. Since the first sweet taste of mother’s milk some two million years ago, our early ancestors established a strong brain-gut neural pathway that the sweet taste was safe and happy. It also gave them energy, and the more of it they could forage, the better.
Two million years later, we have finally achieved what our ancestors sought to accomplish: we can have sweet whenever we want! Today, however, we have evidence that more is not better. In fact, sugar has been implicated in just about every chronic and degenerative condition plaguing modern humans, extending its sticky fingers to cardiovascular function, colon health, brain function, and more.1-3
So, after years of being hooked on the sweet stuff, for our future’s sake, it’s time to cut back on, reduce, or altogether avoid sugar. To support this process, I want to tell you about a plant that, many thousands of years ago, was named gurmar, literally meaning sugar destroyer. This plant actually blocks ability to taste and absorb the sweet taste.
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Original Trick-or-Treat
Years ago, when I would teach herbal seminars, I would have students pass around and taste powdered herbs as I discussed their properties. After a few earthy herbs, I would slip in gurmar, or sugar destroyer. Right after the students tasted the gurmar, which is quite bitter, I would pass around chocolate kisses to reward their palate with a well-deserved sweet taste.
After I passed around the chocolate kisses, I would pass around a trash can so that they could spit them out. The students found that after the gurmar touched their tongues, for the next ten minutes or so, they could not taste anything sweet!4 The chocolate kiss literally tasted like cardboard, and they immediately spat it out.
Now you know why this plant was named sugar destroyer, as it destroys the taste of sugar. Not only will gurmar block enjoyment of your favorite sweet, it has the same sugar-blocking effect inside the intestinal tract.4
How Sugar Destroyer Works
In the intestines, sweet tastes absorb quickly in the form of glucose, which quickly delivers energy, a sugar high, and a feeling of contentment. Gurmar blocks intestinal sugar absorption, leaving the brain wondering, “What happened to my sugar rush?”
By blocking sugar from absorbing, fats are metabolized instead as alternative energy. The result, according to studies, is that gurmar reduces sugar cravings and excess weight gain, and supports healthy blood sugar levels.4-9
The botanical name for this party-pooping, sweet taste-destroying herb is Gymnema sylvestre. The active chemicals responsible for blocking the sweet taste are called gymnemic acids and gurmarin. Studies show that gurmarin and gymnemic acids also boost natural production of insulin in the pancreas, which helps naturally balance blood sugar, cravings, and weight.4,6,8,9 In one study, these effects were improved when gurmar was combined with shilajit.5
Like sweets? Consider adding this herb to your regimen! Sugar Destroyer is safe for children four and up. Give them one capsule (500mg) per day to curb their sweet tooth.
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Let’s make strides towards breaking our scary two million year-old dependency on sweets, and reclaim our health and vitality!
