Gynostemma Pentaphyllum: The History
This article hopes to at least get the reader familiar with this vine that is so commonly found in the Orient, in regions like China, southern Korea, Japan and other parts of Asia . Many people have heard of Gynostemma Pentaphyllum, by its other name: Jiaogulan. Still there are those, especially in Western countries that have no clue what either of those words mean.
What Exactly is Gynostemma Pentaphyllum?
It is alluring to reckon that Gynostemma belongs to other vines, however it is part of the gourd family, also known as the Cucurbitaceae family.
In addition to Jiaogulan it is sometimes referred to as “Southern Ginseng” because of its likeness to the chemical composition and function of the ginseng herb . Some call it as Xiancao, which translates into “immortality herb”. This is because of its reported longevity wellness benefits with drinking the herb. The following are the reported and documented studies regarding gynostemma.
Scientific Studies Regarding Gynostemma Pentaphllum
According to studies done in China, Gynostemma Pentaphyllum has disease-prevention and therapeutic features. It contains numerous saponins, trace materials, amino acids, vitamins and proteins. You might be familiar with saponins as the stuff that makes your soap.. soapy. But did you know they play a big role in your health and immunity?
Many people consider that the adaptogenic characteristic of Gynostemma Pentaphyllum makes it superior over ginseng . Gynostemma as an adaptogen increases the body’s resistance to stress, trauma, anxiety, and fatigue. Another nice benefit that makes Gynostemma an amazing herb is its anti-aging and rejuvenating effect.
Gynostemma Pentaphyllum turns out to contain more saponins than ginseng, (remember what saponins were?) which makes it more potent in regulating bodily systems such as helping the body digest food, regulating high blood pressure, and building up the immune system.
Gynostemma Pentaphllum for Cholestrol:
Other scientific studies also show that Gynostemma has the ability to diminish cholesterol by improving the liver’s performance in sending sugar and carbohydrates for conversion to energy instead of being stored as fat. It has been shown to have a dual approach by lowering the body’s bad cholesterol levels while raising the concentration of good cholesterol levels.
Gynostemma Pentaphllum for Weight Loss:
Additional studies have shown that it helps improve fat metabolism by reducing the blood fat level and the fat sediments in the blood vessels. This means that it may be helpful to incorporate Gynostemma into a healthy diet and exercise program to loose weight and control obesity.
Gynostemma Pentaphyllum does not only work against high-cholesterol and obesity. It can also facilitate absorption of nutrients and gaining of weight through improving and strengthening our digestion.
Aside from working for our body, Gynostemma also has the power to work for our brain functions. It has been proven to have biphasic effect, which boosts up or calm the system depending on our body’s need, helping us to cope with stress. It also aids in regulating the hormonal functions in both men and women.
Gynostemma Pentaphyllum is truly an awesome adaptogenic herb that can help many individuals. It is important to ask you medical doctor any questions regarding incorporating anything new into you nutritional lifestyle, but your doctor might not even know about adaptogenic herbs like gynostemma. If this is the case, we extremely suggest you speak with a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine and continue to learn more about gynostemma at your library or on the internet. One site that we particularly love for gynostemma pentaphyllum information and preparation recipes is Benefits-Of-Jiaogulan.com.
