To lose weight, we usually punish our taste buds. It is hard to believe that a sweet tasting yacon syrup can also make you lose weight.
Yacon syrup has recently gained lots of popularity. Many marketers and health gurus suggest that it aid weight loss but are there other benefits of yacon syrup.
What Is Yacon Syrup
Yacon plant that grows natively in the Andes mountain is believed to have medical properties and treat diabetes, digestive and kidney disorders. The juice extracted from the root of this plant is filtered and then evaporated to make a syrup which is sweet and dark-coloured with a consistency similar to molasses.
Nutritional Analysis Of Yacon Syrup
The primary active ingredient of this syrup is ‘fructooligosaccharide’ which is a type of fructan (a soluble dietary fibre). Also, it contains other digestible sugars such as glucose, fructose and sucrose that renders it a sweet taste. Yacon syrup contains a high concentration of ingestible inulin.
Benefits Of Yacon Syrup
- Can Be Used As Low-Calorie Substitute Of Sugar
The largest part of yacon syrup is not digested. This is why it has only one-third caloric value of sugar and score very low on glycemic index score. A tablespoon of yacon syrup contains only 20 calories, and so it can be used as a low-calorie substitute to sugar. You can even use it in smoothies, desserts, dressings, baked goods and sauces.
- Aids Weight Loss
As discussed above yacon syrup is rich in fructan. When fructan reaches the large intestine, it is digested by the friendly bacteria of our digestive tract. As a result, short-chain fatty acids are produced having an anti-obesity effect. Also, some evidence suggests that fructan has the potential to lower the level of hunger hormone ghrelin thus reduces the appetite.
- Helps to manage digestive issues
Fructooligosaccharides are prebiotics. They pass undigested through the upper gastrointestinal tract and on reaching colon gets fermented by the gut bacteria promoting the growth of good bacteria and increasing bowel mass. Thus, many digestive issues such as travellers diarrhoea and constipation is managed.
- Beneficial For Bone Health
Post-menopause women lose the bone mass and the risk of osteoporosis and fracture increases. Yacon syrup promotes the absorption of minerals from the colon. It increases mineral and magnesium concentration of the bone and prevents osteoporosis. Include this fructooligosaccharide rich syrup to your daily diet regimen to improve the bone mass and all over the health of the bone.
- Boost Body Immunity
Yacon syrup is prebiotic. It stimulates the growth of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in the gut and improves digestion, as well as natural resistance against the invading bacteria, thus improves body immunity. It promotes positive modulation of the body’s immune system, decreases the chance of allergic reactions and develops resistance to infections.
- Increases The Level Of Testosterone Hormone
Low level of testosterone hormone in males increases the risk of type-2 diabetes and cardiac disease. Yacon syrup is a natural infertility treatment and testosterone booster.
- Prevents Cancer
Compounds found in yacon syrup inhibits the reproduction and growth of cancer cells. Thus, it has characteristics of cancer-fighting foo
