Can Gogi Berries Help You Lose Weight?
For several thousand years the Gogi berry has been an important element used in traditional Chinese medicine. Most health food stores carry this wonder of nature.
Gogi plants can be found in a few parts of the Himalayas, as well as in China. Small but bursting with beautiful red color, these berries are very delicate. A testament to this fact is that they cannot be harvested manually. The entire plant is gently shaken to loosen the berries; the berries that fall are then dried in the sun.
In recent news, experts in the medical field have been touting the ability of the Gogi berry to help people lose weight; the reason for this is probably because the berries have a low glycemic index.
The rate that consumed foods are turned into glucose (blood sugar) is what the glycemic index indicates. Foods that take longer to turn into blood sugar carry a lower Glycemic Index, or GI. Many people struggle with craving sugary and starchy foods because they have a high glycemic index; the craving for and consumption of these foods just adds to the inability to lose weight. This occurs because when these types of foods are eaten, levels of blood sugar in the body will quickly rise.
This causes a reaction from the pancreas, which releases insulin to defend the body against what it perceives to be a dangerously high level of blood sugar. Of course, once insulin is released, blood sugar levels plummet and the body again begins to think it “needs” more sugary or starchy foods. And the cycle continues.
Another problematic side effect of this cycle is that it interferes with the body’s energy levels, and most people will feel too tired to exercise. This combination of craving fatty foods while avoiding exercise creates ideal conditions for becoming or staying overweight. Of course this is a terrible rut in which to find yourself.
Apples have a glycemic index of 38, oranges have a GI of 42, but the Gogi berry has an amazingly low glycemic index of just 29. High in fiber, which in itself helps to regulate blood sugar, the Gogi berry is also rich in chromium, an element that helps to maintain muscles mass while also keeping levels of blood sugar under control. This can help to create a healthier metabolic rate, since higher muscle mass has been shown to burn more calories than fatty tissues.
Calcium, copper, zinc, phosphorus, sodium, and thiamin are just a few more of the nutrients found in Gogi berries. Every one of these vitamins and minerals aids the body in burning fat by increasing the energy available to the body and helping the metabolism work normally.
Younger people’s bodies usually remain naturally slim due to the regular production of growth hormones. Obviously this means that during the aging process, the body creates fewer growth hormones, resulting in decreased muscle tissue and increased body fat. Potassium and amino acids, which are known to aid in creating growth hormones, are both found in Gogi berries.
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