Gynostemma Pentaphyllum: The History

Figuring Out Gynostemma (AKA: Jiaogulan)

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?

Gynostemma is part of the cucumber/gourd family.  The fancy scientific name (to impress your friends), is Cucurbitaceae.

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 health 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 healing(p) 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?

 

Gynostemma is also known as an herbal medicine, it is famous for its anti-oxidant and adaptogenic effects. Herbs with anti-oxidants help prevent aging by fighting the elements that oxidize our blood and immune system.

Just as metal oxidizes and gets rust, our bodies are also vulnerable to these elements through pollution, stress, and poor eating habbits.  Anit-oxidants help fight these toxifying elements and helps return the body to its natural healthy state.

 

Gynostemma and 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 integrate Gynostemma into a healthy diet and exercise program to loose weight and control obesity.

Gynostemma Pentaphyllum can also help with weight loss by improving the body’s digestive system.  Many people will drink gynostemma tea with or before a meal that is particularly high in fats to help with the digestion of fat solids to turn into energy.

Aside from working for our body, Gynostemma also has the ability to work for our brain functions.

It has been proved 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 and 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 assault by lowering the body’s bad cholesterol levels while raising the concentration of good cholesterol levels.

 

Gynostemma Pentaphyllum is truly an awesome adaptogenic herb that can help many individuals.  It is crucial 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 enjoy for gynostemma pentaphyllum  information and preparation recipes is Benefits-Of-Jiaogulan.com.