GYMNEMA LEAF (Gymnema sylvestre) aka -Meshashringi, Gurmar, Merasingi, Periploca of the Woods

Gymnema has been used medicinally for centuries throughout the world. It has been in use for thousands of years as an herbal treatment for diabetes. It can block the absorption of glucose from the intestines and helps to reduce cravings for sugar. It has also been suggested for herbal weight loss applications. Chewing the leaves, or taking it in capsule form, can alter the taste of sugar and reduce the sweetness. Ayurvedic physicians have used Gymnema to treat ailments such as stomach problems, diabetes, and urinary disorders for more than two thousand years. Modern research has confirmed that the active ingredient, gymnemic acid, blocks the taste of sugar as well as blocking sugar’s absorption by the body. It is also thought that Gymnema suppresses the taste of saccharin and cyclamate, two common artificial sweeteners. This is promising for diabetes, obesity, hypoglycemia, allergies, anemia, and osteoporosis. It has been found to actually improve liver and pancreatic function.