Glyconutrients are essential to your diet and most people are deficient
Glyconutrients are an eight known monosaccharide necessary for cell-to-cell communication. The following glyconutrients are essential nutrients to humans: galactose, glucose, mannose, fucose, xylose, N-acetylneuraminic acid, N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylgalactosamine. The only difference in human blood groups (O , A, B and AB) are the glyconutrient combination attached to each molecule.
Various herbs contain some glyconutrients like Aloe, Echinacea purpurea, Pleurotus citrinopileats (mushroom family) and others. Noni (Morinda Citrifolia) contains the highest number of glyconutients and has become popular for supporting the immune system and anti-cancer activity. No single plant contains all eight glyconutrients and a complete complex has been created with several different plant species.
One of the many functions of vitamins and minerals is that they are essential for assembling healthy cells. Glyconutrients and their specific proteins are essential for cell-to-cell communication.
Glyconutrients are essential in the following processes:
- Normal cellular processes
- Cellular immunity
- Recognition
- Antibody function
- Signalling and recruiting
Glyconutrients and Congenital Defects of Glycosylation(CDG)
Glyconutrients can correct abnormal glycosylation. An example is SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) where glycosylation is not completed. A missing glyconutrient can trigger miscommunication that can lead to death.
Glyconutrients are important in managing the following health conditions
- Asthma
- Dermatitis
- Bronchial anaphylaxis
- Cancer
- Inflammation
- Infections
- Malaria
- Auto-immune diseases like: Lupus erythematosus; chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia
Natural glyconutrient rich food sources
Glucose
- Sugar: cane sugar, fructose (fruit sugar), raw honey and bee pollen
- Starch: rice, corn, potatoes,
- Fruit: grapes, bananas, mangoes, cherries and strawberries
- Herbs: Aloe, liquorice, sarsaparilla, hawthorn, garlic and Echinacea
- Cordyceps mushrooms
Please note: Too much glucose is unhealthy but too little can also be a problem
Galactose
- Dairy products
- Fruits such as apricots, blackberries, cranberries, cherries, currants, dates, grapes, kiwi fruit, mango, orange, nectarine, passion fruit, peaches, plums, pineapple, prunes, rhubarb. Pectin found in apple and oranges – eat the fruit and forget about the juices.
- Echinacea and boswelia
- Vegetables – the richest sources of glyconutrients are: avocado, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, potato, eggplant, tomatoes, leeks, asparagus, lettuce, mushrooms, beetroot, parsnip, peas, pumpkin, spinach, beans, onions, broccoli, Brussels sprouts
- Fenugreek and chestnuts.
Fucose
- Abundant in breast milk,
- Brown seaweed, kelp and wakame
- Beer yeast
- Certain types of mushrooms
Mannose
- Aloe, shiitake, cordyceps and kelp
- Black and red currants, gooseberries
- Soybeans
- Green beans, capsicum, cabbage, eggplant, tomatoes and turnip
- Fenugreek, carob and guar gum( contains plenty of galactomannan, which is a polysaccharide of mannose and galactose).
Xylose
- Psyllium seeds
- Kelp
- Guava, pears, loganberries, blackberries and raspberries
- Aloe, Echinacea and boswelia
- Broccoli, spinach, eggplant, peas, green beans, cabbage and corn
N-acetylglucosamine:
- Shark cartilage
- Bovine beef cartilage
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Chitin (crustacean shells)
N-acetylgalactosamine:
- Shark cartilage
- Bovine beef cartilage
- Chondroitin sulphate
- Red algae
N-acetylneuraminic acid:
- Whey protein.
- Eggs
How to add the glyconutrients naturally into your diet:
- Eat as much organic fruits and vegetables listed above
- Use Fenugreek in stir-fries and curries
- Use wakame in salads, stir fries and with sushi
- Psyllium husk
- Smoothie: low fat and sugar free yoghurt with whey protein and berries
- Lecithin has been noted to increase absorption of nutrients – add a tablespoon to your smoothie
- Dried or fresh mushrooms lightly chopped into a stir fry
- A shot glass of Aloe drink in the mornings will be enormously helpful for indigestion, constipation and ulcers
- Use Xylitol instead of sugar. Remember, it is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal and kinder to the teeth.
- Herbal teas like liquorice and Echinacea
To get the required amount of natural glyconutrients available naturally from foodstuffs into your diet, you will need to not only source, but also consume vast quantities, so unfortunately you might be left with no alternative but to purchase commercially available glyconutrients to supplement your normal intake. The majority people are deficient in glyconutrients and would benefit from daily supplementation with glyconutrients. Ambrotose is a quality product that contains all eight essential glyconutrients.
References
• The missing Nutrients by Dr Steve Nugent
• www.mannatechscience.org
• www.glyconutria.com
