This magical fruit has been used for centuries to treat all kinds of ailments from headaches to fever to inflammation but it’s latest gain is here in the US as studies begin to reveal the true depth of this wondrous plant such as its ability to help in regulating blood sugar levels.
Benefits Of The Baobab
It is hard not to fall down the rabbit hole of benefits that this plant offers. When it can claim itself a medicine for improving gut health, reducing inflammation and lowering blood sugar levels, just imagine the ripple effect of improvements in store for an individual who gets all of that under control.
Baobab Powder Is…
- High in vitamin C
- Rich in prebiotic fiber
- A vegan source of calcium
- A source of magnesium
- Low glycemic
Baobab Powder Has…
- 4 times the potassium of a banana
- Potent antioxidants
- Bioavailable Nutrients
So Just How Does The Baobab Fruit Tackle So Many Health Concerns Like Regulating Blood Sugar?
Baobab is organic and natural, making it a health food companion. It is full of fiber and helps the good probiotic bacteria in your gut to flourish. It also assists in keeping you feeling fuller quicker and longer which can benefit weight management, but the best part is that the fiber also slows down the release of sugar or as it is called in the body, glucose, into the bloodstream. This prevents insulin spikes and soon you can see why this fruit does more than just lower blood sugar levels but has the ability to prevent type II diabetes. That is pretty powerful stuff!
A study at the Oxford Brooks University in England found remarkable results supporting the effects baobab has to lower the levels of blood sugar. They had one group drink 18.5g of baobab powder mixed in 250ml of water and the second group drink 37g of powder mixed in the same amount of water after they had consumed foods that have a high glycemic index like white bread. The third group was the placebo group, and they drank only water. The participants in the groups that did drink baobab powder, both showed slower rates of sugar release into the blood. (SA Coe et al. “The polyphenol-rich baobab fruit reduces starch digestion and glycemic response in humans”. Nutrition Research. 2013 Nov; 33[11]:888-96)
What Is The Glycemic Index?
When we eat sugar, our bodies carry the sugar as glucose through our body, feeding our brains and giving us energy but when we get too much glucose in the body, we store the excess sugar as fat, yet the body is not able to metabolize it like fat, thus increasing the potential for high blood sugar levels and developing type II diabetes. Foods that introduce a lot of sugar into the body at once are called high on the Glycemic Index. These foods can include white bread, white rice, cakes and sweets; foods that a lot of consumers are aware of as culprits of weight gain and health issues. But there are natural foods high on the list as well such as pineapple, watermelon, dates and dairy. Simply put, we cannot eliminate foods that are high on the glycemic index all together, but rather we must combine our high GI foods with low GI foods to bring balance to our digestion.
How Can Baobab Help With Regulating Blood Sugar by Lowering The GI of High GI Foods?
Remember that study in England? They also tested to see the effects of the baobab powder when added to the actual recipe for white bread. No matter how small the amount added, the baobab proved to be effective at lowering the GI of the white bread.
Dr. Shelly Coe from Functional Food Centre of Oxford Brookes University made the following observation:
“We have carried out a number of studies on Baobab Fruit at our Centre and the results have consistently demonstrated that baobab can have a stabilizing effect on blood glucose. Baobab is rich in fibre which can slow down the rise in blood glucose, helping regulating blood sugar levels. It is also high in polyphenols which have been shown to affect the release of sugars from carbohydrates into the bloodstream, reducing their conversion into glucose. Our studies have shown that along with a good diet and exercise, consuming Baobab could help regulate your blood sugar.”
The baobab fruit powder can be taken on a daily basis or added to a number of products to boost its integrity and has a flavor much like a sherbet-like zing. Great potential for baobab powder partners would be as follows:
- Yogurt
- Soft Drinks, Juices, Mixers
- Potato Chips
- Doughnuts, Cakes
- Fruit purees, Jams, Jelly
Reach out to one of our baobab natural ingredient experts and learn more about how baobab can be incorporated into your next food product.