Gurmar

Gurmar (Gymnema sylvestre)

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Treasures of Nature (Prakriti Ka Khazana) – Gurmar

Gurmar known scientifically as Gymnema sylvestre, is a herb found in tropical forests of southern India. It finds its importance in Ayurvedic medical science as it is known for its ability to suppress the sensation of sweetness. Its leaves, when chewed, prevent the craving for sweet taste for as much as one to two hours. Hence, it has been named Gurmar in Hindi, which translates to ‘sugar-destroyer’. Some of its common names are Periploca of the woods, Gurmari, Miracle fruit and Meshashringi.

Research has shown that Gymnema Sylvestre can be beneficial as natural enzyme for boosting insulin secretion in people having type 2 diabetes. This increase in insulin levels may be attributed to cell regeneration in the pancreas. Thus, Gurmar boosts insulin secretion in the body and doesn’t let glucose accumulate in blood stream. In this way, it helps regulate blood sugar levels.

Due to this characteristic, Gurmar has been used as a constituent of daily diet to maintain healthy sugar levels in the body. The naturally triggered insulin also helps muscles absorb more carbohydrates and calories so that they don’t get converted into fat. So it becomes an effective part of weight maintenance programs too, complementing regular exercise and diet plan.