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Glyconutrients are found in nature but are not prevalent in our modern diet due to many factors including green harvesting and wide spread use of pesticides. They are found in plants and foods that many people just do not consume on a regular basis and may not have enough glyconutrients to have a positive impact on the body but they should be considered for general health. Here are some good sources of glyconutrients in foods:
Shitake Mushrooms
Shitake mushrooms have long been known for their health benefits and have been consumed by the Chinese for over 6,000 years. They are a rich source of a glyconutrient called lentinan which has been found to enhance the immune system. In a recent study, Lentinan was given to patients with gastric cancer and as a result reticular fibers grew at tumor sites. Reticular cells are immune cells that have the ability to eat or ingest cancer cells and other cells like bacteria. In addition to these reticular cells there was an increase in T lymphyoctytes resulting in the destruction of cancer cells.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is probably the oldest and most well known "medicinal" plant in the world. Most people know that if you burn your hand or have a scrape you can break the leaf of Aloe Vera and use the gel to help the healing process. For years it was not known what the active ingredient was in Aloe that impacted health. But in the 1980s a PhD by the name of Dr. Bill McAnalley discovered that the active ingredient in Aloe was a sacharride or glyconutrient (sugar) that is found in glycoproteins on the human cell's surface. The primary glyconutrient in Aloe Vera is mannose but there are a couple of others in it that aid in immune system support. Having a Aloe Vera plant in the house is a good idea especially if you have kids playing around the house.
Kelp/Wakame Seaweed
Both of these are rich in fucoidins or fucose. For centuries the Japanese have consumed a seaweed Undaria pinnatifida or Wakame Seaweed and has been considered a staple food for maintaining health. Research is showing that Fucose plays an important role in immune system regulation, blocking bacteria from attaching to cells as well as other functions. It is found in a mother's breast milk and on glycoproteins at the cell's surface. You'll find seaweed in some common everday foods like pudding, cheese or mayonaise but unfortunately Fucose is not active in these foods due to the processing of them. The richest source of Fucose is Undaria pinnatifida or Wakame Seaweed.
Other Sources Echinacea - contains both arabinogalactan and galactose. Arabinogalactan is very important for immune system regulation.
The Larch Tree
This is the most abundant source of arabinogalactan which contains the glyconnutrient galactose. Galactose is found in the chains of glycoproteins and required for normal cell function. Arabinogalactan has been shown to be very beneficial for aiding the digestive system. It acts as a prebiotic food for for intentistinal bacteria which leads to the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs are very important to the overall health of the digestive tract. It has also been shown to be beneficial to the immune system. In one study, Arabinogalactan was shown to stop the spreading of tumor cells to the liver and also to stimulate natural killer cells (NK cells).
Fruits and Veggies
Although getting glyconutrients through food is a challenge you may be able to get some through fruits like Rasberries, Blackberries, Boswellia, Spinach, Eggplant, Peas, Green Beans, Okra, Cabbage, and Corn. All contain Xylose, a glyconutrient that is has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Xylose is also used in some products as a sweetener and replacement for sugar. Unfortunately, there are several glyconutrients that are not commonly found in our modern diet. N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylneuraminic acid and Mannose (probably the most the important glyconutrient of all) are not readily available in our diets but they are critical for maintaining wellness. That's why supplementation is so important! Begin supplementing your diet with all 8 of these nutrients on a daily basis and see what your body can do. Also, choose a glyconutrient supplement that has all 8 sugars in a stabilized and standardized form. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't eat the foods mentioned here but supplementing your diet can help fill the gaps where our modern diet fails.
