How Do Oats Lower Cholesterol? – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 264
You may already know that oats have been shown to help lower cholesterol. But what is it about them that make them so heart healthy?
Tag: fiber
Restoring Your Aging Immune System, Part 2 – Invite Health Podcast, Episode 98
Here is what you can do to make your immune system stronger, including what supplements have been shown to help maintain overall health and wellness like specific Probiotic strains of beneficial bacteria.
Keto Carb Blocker Ingredients Set The Bar High For Effectiveness
With so many keto products on the market, how do you know that the InVite® Keto Carb Blocker can work best for you? Each and every InVite® Health product is formulated with specific ingredients that have been studied by leading institutions across the globe and prove its benefit. Here is the evidence behind the ingredients that make up the InVite® Keto Carb Blocker.
White Kidney Bean
In a 4-week study performed by the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, 25 healthy subjects consumed 1000mg of white bean extract (or a placebo) twice a day before meals along with following a weight loss program that included diet, exercise and behavioral intervention.
While both groups reduced their weight and waist size significantly, the group who took the white kidney bean extract lost 1.3lbs more and lost an additional .1 inches from their waist size. Researchers note, “In an exploratory analysis of data, subjects who ate the most carbohydrates experienced a significant reduction in both weight and waist size with the addition of the white bean extract, compared to the placebo group eating the same amount of carbohydrates.” This study was published in the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine in 2007.
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Guar Gum Powder
Guar gum is a fiber from the seed of the guar plant. The guar plant is in the legume family and, when picked, resembles a string bean. Guar gum is commonly found in low-carb recipes and baking products and is a carbohydrate that is mostly soluble fiber, so it actually has little impact on your carb intake (especially if you are calculating net carbs) and is why it is used in numerous keto-focused recipes.
When it comes to nutrition, guar gum has the ability to slow down digestion as it is a soluble fiber and has a direct impact on the rate at which your body absorbs sugar. There are numerous studies that link this important fiber to healthy digestion and to weight loss, by leaving consumers feeling more satiated. Guam gum is a vegan ingredient that is made entirely from plant sources and is not processed using animal products. It is also gluten free but due to its consistency, when mixed baking goods like bread and dessert, it makes for a great alternative.
In a 2018 analysis published in the journal Nutrition, researchers note that several clinical studies suggest that guar fiber “normalized both constipation and diarrheal conditions.” Studies suggest that regular intake is effective to “treat more of the morbidities associated with digestive health and may offer potential protection and promotion of digestive health both alone and when combined with probiotics as a synbiotic formula.”
Umbrella Arum (Glucomannan) Root Powder
The Umbrella Arum Root, or Amorphophallus Konjac, is a plant that originates from Southeast Asia. The dried form of this plant contains around 40% of Glucomannan – a water-soluble, fermentable dietary fiber.
The Institute of Clinical Medicine in Norway studied the impact of three different fibers to see what the effect on weight reduction would be on their subjects. The fibers included glucomannan, guar gum and alginate. One hundred and seventy-six men and women either took one of the active fibers or a placebo. Results showed that all fiber supplements (with a balanced calorie intake of 1200) significantly reduced weight more than placebo and diet alone, during the five week observation period. Glucomannan was shown to induce body weight reduction in the healthy overweight subjects alone.
Guggul Extract
Guggul extract is made from the sap of the guggul tree which is native to India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. It is a plant steroid that has been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, being one of the very ancient Ayurvedic drugs used as far back as 2000 B.C. This is according to a review published by Texas Southern Universities Departments of Biology and Experimental Therapeutics, along with the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Texas and the Laboratory of Bio-Molecular Technology from M.L. Sukhadia University in India.
References
Udani, Jay, and Betsy B Singh. “Blocking carbohydrate absorption and weight loss: a clinical trial using a proprietary fractionated white bean extract.” Alternative therapies in health and medicine vol. 13,4 (2007): 32-7.
Rao, Theertham Pradyumna, and Giuseppina Quartarone. “Role of guar fiber in improving digestive health and function.” Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) vol. 59 (2019): 158-169. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2018.07.109
Keithley, Joyce K et al. “Safety and efficacy of glucomannan for weight loss in overweight and moderately obese adults.” Journal of obesity vol. 2013 (2013): 610908. doi:10.1155/2013/610908
Birketvedt, G. S., Shimshi, M., Erling, T., & Florholmen, J. (2005). Experiences with three different fiber supplements in weight reduction. Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research, 11(1), PI5–PI8.
The Guggul for Chronic Diseases: Ancient Medicine, Modern Targets. http://www.medicinacomplementar.com.br/biblioteca/pdfs/Doencas/do-1686.pdf . (2008)
Questions for the Invite® team about the Keto Carb Blocker or any of it’s ingredients? Leave us a comment below to discuss!
The Benefits of Fiber and How to Increase Your Intake
Photo by Nadine Primeau on Unsplash According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), you should be consuming anywhere between 20 to 35 grams of fiber per day. However, if you’re like most Americans following the Standard American Diet (SAD), your consumption is …
The Importance of Fiber and How to Incorporate More into Your Diet
Fiber can be found in vegetables, fruits, beans and whole grains. And it’s important. Its job is to bulk up the stool and retain water. Bacteria then helps to digest the fiber, producing healthy ingredients for the colon and promoting healthy bowel movements. Without enough …
Cocoa Also Supports Your Gut, Not Just Your Brain
Trillions of bacteria live in our gut – both healthy and unhealthy. When the body has more unhealthy bacteria than healthy bacteria, it can cause digestive problems such as bloating and gassiness. Research has shown that balanced levels of “good” bacteria is needed for proper digestion and overall health. A new study says that cocoa may be an important factor for digestive health, as well.
What is Cocoa?
Cocoa, derived from the cacao bean, is chocolate in its natural form (without all of the additives) that contain essential minerals and polyphenols. Its benefits are generally reversed when milk, cholesterol from milk solids, and an enormous amount of refined sugar are added, creating the chocolate we all know and love today.
Because of cocoa’s natural components, it offers excellent antioxidant protection. Studies have shown that cocoa increases circulation to the brain and heart, improving healthy blood flow due to its flavonols, which may also help manage blood pressure.
Gut and Cocoa
In order to reap the benefits of cocoa, our bodies must break it down and absorb its nutrients; this is dependent on the bacteria that live in our intestines. Numerous studies have shown that its consumption actually increases the levels of good bacteria in the gut.
Researchers from the Department of Food and Nutritional Services at the University of Reading in the UK measured higher levels of good bacteria (Probiotics) Lactobacillus and Bididobacterium species in the intestines of human volunteers who drank high-cocoa chocolate milk for 4 weeks. The same team a few years earlier proved that components in cocoa can reduce the growth of Clostridium histolyticum bacteria, which are present in the guts of individuals with inflammatory bowel disease.
In a 2014 study, unveiled at the 247th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, researchers from Louisiana State University tested three cocoa powders using a model digestive tract. “In our study, we found that the fiber is fermented and the large polyphenolic polymers are metabolized to smaller molecules, which are more easily absorbed. These smaller polymers exhibit anti-inflammatory activity,” said John Finley, Ph.D. Finley went on to note that combining the fiber with prebiotics is “likely to improve a person’s overall health and help convert polyphenolics in the stomach into anti-inflammatory compounds.”
Cocoa Supplement
Supplementing with cocoa allows your body to obtain all of the nutritional component that occur naturally in pure dark chocolate, without the saturated fat, sugar or calories commonly found in chocolate bars. A high-quality non-GMO supplement may also contain other ingredients like kiwi or black raspberries to support respiratory health, and protect your genes and DNA throughout the aging process. These powerful nutrient-rich ingredients may also provide further support for the digestive tract, including the mouth, stomach and colon.