People in our country are becoming slaves to blood sugar. According to the ‘Diabetes Fact Sheet 2022’ released by the Korean Diabetes Association at the end of last year, one in six adults over the age of 30 in Korea suffers from diabetes. The pre-diabetic population, which has a high risk of developing diabetes, also accounts for as many as 15 million people. Diabetes should be actively managed as it can accompany complications such as cardiovascular disease and kidney disease, as well as other chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and hyperlipidaemia.
In the case of menopausal women, the risk of high blood cholesterol increases with diabetes. In fact, the National Health Insurance Corporation analyzed 687,345 data from the 2017-2018 national health exams, excluding those prescribed drugs for hyperlipidemia, and found that LDL cholesterol, known as bad cholesterol, was higher in men than women before age 50. Although it shows a high level, women have been found to be higher after the age of 50 when they enter menopause.
◇ Guar gum hydrolyzate which helps control blood sugar and cholesterol
You need to eat well to lower your blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Among them, water-soluble dietary fiber is particularly effective. Water-soluble dietary fiber dissolves in water and increases viscosity, inhibiting the rate of diffusion of food ingredients. This slows down the absorption of sugar and causes the blood sugar to rise slowly. In addition, dietary fiber binds with bile acids in the intestine and prevents the reabsorption of bile acids. The liver then uses cholesterol in the body to recycle bile acids. It lowers the level of cholesterol in the blood.
Soluble fiber is found in fruits and grains. If it is difficult to eat normally, you can get help from functional health ingredients. Among them, guar gum hydrolyzate attracts attention. Guar gum hydrolyzate is a natural ingredient made by hydrolyzing only the endosperm of guar beans that grow in the deserts of northern India, making it easy to eat and dissolve. It not only controls blood sugar and cholesterol, but also helps bowel movements by increasing beneficial bacteria in the intestines.
The function of guar gum hydrolyzate is supported by various research results. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, guar gum hydrolysate was given to 9 diabetic patients 4 times a day for 6 weeks. Total cholesterol also fell by 14.7%, and LDL cholesterol, which is harmful to the body, fell by 16.3%. In Food Hydrocolloids, a top academic journal in the field of food, a study was published in which 6 healthy adults ate guar gum hydrolysate for 2 weeks, and as a result, blood cholesterol decreased by approximately 3% and blood sugar decreased by approximately 4.%.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Korea also recognizes four functions of guar gum hydrolysate: proliferation of beneficial bacteria in the intestines, smooth bowel movements, improvement of blood cholesterol, and prevention of postprandial blood sugar increase. When choosing a guar gum hydrolysate product, it is good to check if it is a functional health food. It is a good way to eat it with a glass of water a day or sprinkle it on rice while cooking for the health of the whole family.
