I know, this sounds way too good to be true, but a number of health experts have touted yacon syrup as the latest and greatest thing when it comes to losing weight.
While many supplements aimed at weight loss severely miss the mark, yacon syrup actually does have some legitimate research behind it to back these claims.
If you haven’t heard about this sweet tasting syrup yet, odds are, you will soon.
After Dr. Oz featured it on his television show, calling it a “metabolism game changer,” it’s become extremely popular here in the U.S.
Of course, just because a TV doctor recommends something doesn’t mean it is sound advice, so we’ll delve a bit deeper into what’s behind these claims.
The syrup is extracted from the roots of the yacon plant which grows in the Andes Mountains of South America.
It’s been eaten and used for medicinal purposes for centuries in many South American countries. People there have long believed it has powerful healing properties, including helping to improve diabetes, digestive and kidney disorders.
The yacon root looks something like a sweet potato.To make the syrup, juices from the roots are extracted, filtered and evaporated in a chemical-free process similar to the way maple syrup is made. The result is this sweet-tasting syrup that has a consistency and color like molasses.
Yacon syrup contains about 40 to 50 percent fructooligosaccharides. These compounds are actually sugar molecules that are connected in a way that makes them unrecognizable by the digestive system.
Although these sugars stimulate taste buds, they cannot be digested. As the majority of yacon syrup isn’t digested, it has just one-third of the caloric value of sugar, or 20 calories per tablespoon, making it a good lower-calorie alternative to sugar.
But that’s not the main reason it’s believed to help with belly fat.
When the fructooligosaccharides reach the large intestine, they feed the friendly bacteria in the digestive system, which are a key part of good health.
Having more of the “right” kind of bacteria is linked to a lower risk of diabetes, stronger immunity and improved brain function.
When the bacteria digest the fructoolighsaccharides, they also produce short-chain fatty acids which offer potent anti-obesity effects in addition to helping lower levels of the hormone ghrelin, helping to decrease the appetite.
What you probably want to know is, can this syrup really help you lose weight?
At this point, there has only been one study conducted on humans, but the results were extremely promising.
Participants included 55 obese women – 40 of the women took yacon syrup, while the others were given a placebo.
After a period of 120 days, the women who had the yacon syrup lost an average of 33 pounds and 3.9 inches off their waist – a rather dramatic improvement! The women who took the placebo generally didn’t experience any change in weight or waist measurements.
Yacon syrup is not the only food that contains fructooligosaccharides, although it is believed to have the highest amount. The compounds are found in smaller amounts in a number of plant f oods, like garlic, onions and artichokes.
Yacon can be taken as a tea or used as a sugar substitute, but it’s important to make sure that you buy 100 percent yacon syrup with no additives or other substances – and, consuming too much can cause diarrhea and cramping.
So, what’s the catch?
Yacon is not a magic pill – there is no magic pill when it comes to getting in shape. You still have to eat healthier, consume fewer calories and move more, but yacon may be able to provide an extra boost to achieve your goals that much quicker.
Yours in health,
Danette
