Yacon Syrup: What It Is, What It Does, and Where To Get It
Yacon Syrup is the latest ‘game changer’ in the weight loss industry according to the Dr. Oz Show. Predictably, the product is gathering a great deal of Internet buzz after the announcement on the Dr. Oz Show last November. Many weight watchers are rightly looking forward to trying syrup for many reasons. According to Dr. Oz, a study carried out in 2009 established that yacon syrup can lead to substantial weight loss particularly in premenopausal women who have insulin resistance.
This is a very promising prospect and it’s easy to see why there is a lot of excitement about this product. But what is it really and how does it lead to weight loss? Read on for the details.
Yacon Syrup: Description
Yacon syrup is an extract of the roots of the yacon plant that. The yacon plant grows natively in the continental ranges of South America. The syrup is used as a sweetener and is low in calories while high in indigestible inulin. Precisely, yacon syrup helps premenopausal women lose up to 5lbs in just four weeks, according to claims by Dr. Oz. Yacon natively grows in the Andes mountains in South America. It belongs to the Asteraceae family and it is closer to a potato in appearance. It has a sweet, apple-like taste that has won the hearts of native Peruvians for centuries.
Before extraction, the yacon roots are washed and then peeled before they are double filtered and flash pasteurized to conserve the nutrients and natural taste. The extract is then formulated into syrups or other dietary supplements for its health benefits.
What Does Yacon Syrup Contain?
Yacon syrup contains various simple sugars including fructose, sucrose, and glucose, but it is the poly-saccharide known as fructooligosaccharides (FOS) that gives the syrup its potent health benefits and sweet taste. For its sweet taste, yacon syrup is used just as any other natural sweetener. You can add it to any hot beverage such as coffee and tea, or you can add it to cold drinks such as juice and smoothies. Yacon syrup can also be used in baking products as well as any other culinary use that requires a touch of sweet.
It is the high concentration of inulin in yacon syrup that breaks down into FOS and gives the syrup its distinctive sweet taste. While it tastes sweet, it is not like the normal sugar that will spike your blood sugar. It is the ideal substitute for sugar for people with diabetes or those trying to cut down sugar consumption.
Besides inulin, yacon syrup contains a host of other important micronutrients and minerals including iron, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and more than 20 amino acids.
How Does Yacon Syrup Work?
Before you understand the health benefits of this natural extract, you need to learn how it works in the body and how it is able to give its wondrous effects.
Since it is a probiotic, the syrup is food for the ‘friendly’ bacteria in the gut (such as the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium). The friendly bacteria will eventually outnumber and get rid of the dangerous bacteria.
Yacon syrup also lowers the amount of ghrelin in the body, a hormone responsible for regulating hunger. If you have episodes of binge eating, this will be particularly helpful for you as you’ll feel full most of the time. This is one of the ways that yacon syrup is known to help in weight loss.
According to an experiment performed by Dr. Oz on 60 female viewers of his show, twenty nine out of 40 participants who completed the experiment reported some sort of weight loss after four weeks of taking a spoon of yacon syrup before or during meals. On average, the women lost 3lbs by simply taking the syrup without doing anything else.
Of course, these claims are too good to be true, but they are partly backed by a 2009 study that revealed similar findings. Moreover, similar observations have been made in the native communities where the yacon plant has been consumed for centuries. I’s safe to say that the syrup does work, but as with any dietary supplement, individual experiences are different and you should carefully weigh the benefits of taking the syrup before you make a decision to buy it.
Health Benefits Of Yacon Syrup
Yacon syrup has gained popularity because of its health benefits. Firstly, it is a healthy substitute for sugar because of its sweet and pleasant taste. It can satisfy any requirement for sweetness in food without the negatives of normal sugar. The syrup contains fewer calories than those found in sugar (50% less) and so you don’t have to worry about consuming more calories in sugar. (Our Recommendation)
Yacon syrup also promotes the growth of healthy bacterial colonies in the gut. This in turn leads to better absorption of food nutrients while improving the overall health of the digestive tract.
Where To Buy The Syrup
You can purchase yacon syrup from natural food stores or you could order it online from approved suppliers. However, ensure that the product contains 100% pure organic yacon syrup. Beware of substandard products from unscrupulous sellers trying to profit from the huge popularity of the natural extract.
Conclusion
Without a doubt, yacon syrup is a nutritious food with lots of health benefits especially for people who want to cut weight or those who are mindful about adding more weight. That being said, it’s worth noting that it yacon syrup is not a miracle drug that will help you shed excess fat in a ridiculously short period of time. You have to use other proven weight loss methods (proper diet and regular physical activity) along with 100% organic yacon syrup to stand a good chance of shedding weight.
