What Are the Eight Essential Glyconutrients And How Do These Benefit You

The natural composition of the human diet provides all the nutrients, enzymes, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients necessary to promote health. But with the current improvements in farming and shelf life of fruits and vegetables, but not necessarily on the quality of the products produced, the typical American diet has become robbed off its natural elements. This absence suggests grave consequences on our health.

There are eight essential glyconutrients that play major roles in preserving the health of an average person. Currently, only two of these are present in our daily diet – glucose and galactose.

Glucose – Or simple sugar, is essentially where we get our daily dose of energy in the form of starch, sugar, rice, wheat, and cassava. This is a fast acting-energy source that is directly released into the bloodstream.

Galactose – A carbohydrate that is slightly less sweet than simple sugar or glucose, is a nutritive source of energy. As an essential sugar, galactose can help improve cell to cell communication by serving as an agent in the formation of glycoforms, a substance critical in the delivery of messages between cells. This sugar is typically present in milk and dairy products and comprises 2% to 8% of milk solids. It is also found in high quantities in human breast milk.

Xylose – Or wood sugar, is a glyconutrient that is commonly used as an ingredient in toothpastes, corn sweeteners and chewing gums. It is found in high quantities in berries like blackberries, logan berries and raspberries, pears, guava, kelp, aloe vera gel, broccoli, okra, green beans, cabbage, corn, eggplant, spinach and psyllium. Xylose, like all other glyconutrients can enhance cell to cell communication. It also has antibacterial and antifungal properties that help in warding off infections. When absorbed in the small intestine, xylose increases the number of intestinal flora that aid in nutrient absorption.

Fucose – Some varieties of mushroom and the breast milk that comes from humans are rich in fucose, an essential sugar that influences brain development, learning, memory, and prevent the development of respiratory tract infections, in modulating immune system functions, and in inhibiting allergic reactions. It is also linked to reproduction, proper kidney functions, and skin hydration functions.

Mannose – Among the eight essential sugars, mannose is the most important in sustaining cellular actions. It has properties that can prevent the growth and spread of tumor, enhance cell to cell communication, prevent infections caused by fungi, parasites, bacteria, and viruses, help in the production of disease and infection fighting substances called cytokines, eases inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis, affects the levels of blood sugar and control the level of triglyceride or fat in the blood. Mannose appears in high quantities in fruits like cranberries, mushrooms like shiitake and reishi, and a number of bran. Deficiencies in this nutrient are known to trigger an entire set of physical problems.

N-acetylneuraminic acid – Also called sialic acid, this nutrient is essential in brain development, cognitive performance, learning and memory. It is also known to help in lowering bad cholesterol levels in the body as well as in enhancing blood coagulation.

N-acetylglucosamine – A derivative of glucose, N-acetylglucosamine has been proposed as a viable treatment for autoimmune diseases. It is also known to help lessen symptoms of osteoarthritis such as pain and inflammation of the affected areas, decrease in range of motion, and damages to cartilage.

N-acetylgalactosamine – The least-known of all sugar nutrients, N-acetylgalactosamine is critical in inhibiting the growth of tumor and in enhancing cellular communication.