Gymnema herb lozenges?

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leafy_greens
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Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 8:18 pm

Gymnema herb lozenges?

Post by leafy_greens » Tue Nov 06, 2018 7:07 pm

Anyone hear of this gymnema herb lozenge that allegedly kills the taste bud's desire for sweets for up to an hour? You're supposed to take them after meals and it makes sugar or high-carb foods taste disgusting. It wears off by your next meal. I'm seeing a few different brands for sale with moderately good reviews, but haven't tried myself. I was wondering if this could help those of us who are sugar addicts, help to build the habit of not "needing" sweets.
"No S IS hard... It just turns out that everything else is harder." -oolala53

ladybird30
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Post by ladybird30 » Wed Nov 07, 2018 1:26 am

Never heard of it, but then I'm in the camp of gradually weaning oneself off sweet tastes (as an alternative to cold turkey). Once that is done, really sweet stuff just doesn't taste all that good. And eating sweet sauces with meat just seems wrong. But the sweetness of natural foods such as quality fresh fruit tastes amazing.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

leafy_greens
Posts: 426
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 8:18 pm

Post by leafy_greens » Wed Nov 07, 2018 1:56 am

Yeah, I've struggled for years and sweets are still my Achilles heel. I also struggle with that "food taste" in my mouth pushing me to graze as well as boredom. Building habits seem to not stick with me as much as other people here. I figured trying an herb might not hurt.
"No S IS hard... It just turns out that everything else is harder." -oolala53

oolala53
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Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Mon Nov 12, 2018 2:42 am

If it's not very expensive, it's worth a try. Do you use them before or after brushing your teeth?
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

Auraiwun
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Post by Auraiwun » Tue Nov 13, 2018 8:52 am

I just wondered about these as well.

leafy_greens
Posts: 426
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 8:18 pm

Re: Gymnema herb lozenges?

Post by leafy_greens » Wed Mar 20, 2019 8:57 pm

I'm back. I've been using liquid gymnema drops for a few months. I chose liquid because it was the same ingredient in the sweet-blocking lozenges being advertised everywhere, but a lot cheaper. I believe the drops help, but I'm not sure if it's that, or if my taste buds are changing with age. I have been craving less sweets in general over the past year or so. Knock on wood.

The drops are nasty, but I have gotten used to them. I take 0-2 half-droppers per day, depending on cravings, straight on the tongue. Some days I don't need them. They are like extremely bitter tea. Supposedly it makes sweets taste so gross that you can't eat them. It's kind of true, but I've noticed more of a physiological change. Namely, I haven't been feeling as "frantic" about sweets. You know what I'm talking about, where you just want to eat entire containers of things. After I read that this herb is used to stabilize diabetic's blood sugar, it made sense (although I've never been diagnosed as diabetic.) For that reason, you also shouldn't take too much of it.

Sometimes I will take the drops, and still want sweets. I will eat the sweets, but I don't feel the compulsion to chow down like I used to. Most of the time I go stare at the ice cream freezer, but don't end up buying anything. I've had the same box of cookies for a month. Very strange if you knew me. Again, I don't know if it's because of the drops or something else. But I haven't really been doing any thing else.

Well it's anecdotal, but I thought it would be helpful to someone. There's just not a lot of information about this supplement.

To answer Oolala, I've not been taking it around tooth brushing, but between meals when I feel cravings.
"No S IS hard... It just turns out that everything else is harder." -oolala53

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Re: Gymnema herb lozenges?

Post by oolala53 » Thu Mar 21, 2019 9:00 pm

Sounds like a win, though it can be risky to depend on not feeling urges. But feeling like a lot of the day is a struggle is no fun, either. I envy people who say they don't crave anymore, but I don't count on being one of them. I'm sure there are some things in life I find easy that they find hard, or at least that's what I tell myself.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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