Beta-glucan is a type of soluble fiber that can be found in many natural sources, including mushrooms, yeast, and grains. It is usually sold as a type of supplement. To understand it better, you may want to familiarize yourself with polysaccharide. This large molecule consists of many sugar molecules. It offers many health benefits, such as a strong immune system, better blood sugar control, and lower cholesterol levels. Let’s find out more.
Beta-glucan is a soluble fiber and cannot be digested. Basically, it slows down the movement of food in the intestine. The idea is to improve the absorption of carbohydrates. Apart from this, since it moves in the digestive tract at a slow speed, it tends to take cholesterol with it.
In the world of alternative medicine, you can take these supplements especially from original mushrooms to enjoy many health benefits in case of the conditions listed below:
- ulcerative colitis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- high cholesterol levels
- fibromyalgia
- Diabetes
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Crohn’s disease
- Asthma
- allergies
Beta-glucan mushroom extract tends to strengthen your immune system, which can help you prevent flu, colds, and cancer. Apart from this, it can also help your body against stress.
health benefits
We do not have much scientific evidence to prove the benefits of beta-glucan. Below is a list of potential health benefits:
1. Cholesterol
Oats are full of beta-glucan and can help you lower your cholesterol levels, according to a 2011 research study. According to experts, the glucan extracted from oats can help you lower your LDL or bad cholesterol.
Thus, if you consume oats daily, it can help you reduce your LDL cholesterol levels by up to 7%. So if you are a cholesterol patient, we suggest you give it a try today.
Similar results were found in a 2014 meta-analysis. During the study, participants consumed 3 grams daily. After a couple of days, they experienced a significant reduction in their cholesterol levels.
2.Diabetes
According to other research studies, beta-glucan may help you control your diabetes by maintaining blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels. According to the literature analysis, the compound is not enough to normalize blood sugar levels in patients suffering from diabetes. Therefore, it should not be taken as an alternative treatment.
3. Cancer
According to many preliminary research studies, beta-glucan can activate many proteins and cells that may help fight cancer. Apart from this, animal tests have indicated that it can also slow down the spread of cancer cells. But some experts suggest that more clinical research is needed to say anything for sure.
4. Immunity
Today, we have some evidence based on clinical trials to suggest that this can help boost the immune system to fight colds and other types of infections.
In a nutshell, these are just some of the main benefits of beta-glucan. If you want to enjoy these benefits, we suggest you try the supplement form. I hope this helps.
