Benefits Of Beta-Glucan – 6 Foods Rich In Beta Glucan

Natural sources of beta-glucan include cereal grains, yeast, and certain types of mushrooms. It is also available in the market as a supplement. The soluble fiber beta-glucan can slow the movement of food through the digestive tract without being broken down. Because carbs take longer to digest, blood sugar levels are more stable. It may also aid in the removal of some of the bad cholesterol.

These are the advantages of beta-glucan:

• Assist the body in fighting illness.
• Lowering cholesterol.
• Improving the digestive tract’s immune system.
• Reduces inflammation.
• It could be beneficial in the fight against cancer.
• Maintain a healthy blood sugar level.
• Weight gain is less likely.

An In-Depth Look At Beta Glucan

Soluble fibers include beta-glucan. Soluble fiber ferments in the body after being dissolved in water to form a gel-like substance. Soluble fiber is water-soluble and is broken down during digestion. Because insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water, it is excreted from the body. Because the body does not produce beta-glucans, they must be obtained from food.

How Exactly Does Beta Glucan Work?

Beta-glucan, like other soluble fibers, slows the passage of food through the digestive tract. As a result, a longer digestion time means you may feel fuller for a longer period. Furthermore, beta-glucan slows the sugar absorption rate into the bloodstream. 

You can help regulate your blood sugar levels and achieve a more stable state. In addition, this fiber helps maintain healthy blood cholesterol levels and prevents cholesterol absorption in the digestive tract.

Beta-Glucan: Sources

Beta-glucan-Rich Foods

Oats, barley, rye, and sorghum all have a lot of beta-glucan because they are cereal grains. For example, beta-glucan, an antioxidant, is found in many oysters and shiitake mushrooms. 

Raw foods are the best way to get beta-glucan, but cooking and processing destroy a lot. Instead, look for whole grains as closely as possible to how they were grown. For example, steel-cut oats can be used instead of instant oatmeal or oat flour, and pearl barley can be used instead of barley flour.

Beta-Glucan Supplements 

There are a lot of places on the Internet where you can buy beta-glucan supplements. Also, you can find them in many health foods and natural food stores. A lot of companies make beta-glucan from things like baker’s yeast. Some people like medicinal mushrooms like shiitake and maitake, which are high in beta-glucans.

Foods Rich in Beta-Glucan

Oats

Every 3.5-ounce serving of oats has 3 to 8 grams of beta-glucan, making it one of the best sources of this vitamin. Oats are the food that has been studied the most regarding beta-glucan. Some benefits of eating oats are lower total and LDL cholesterol levels, a lower risk of heart disease, and lower blood sugar levels. One of the best beta-glucan-rich oats producers is GFOats. You can check out their selection here: https://gfoats.com.au/

Reishi mushrooms

Reishi mushrooms are good for your health because they contain beta-glucan. They are medicinal mushrooms, like maitake, shiitake, and Chaga mushrooms, because they are good for your health in many ways. For example, when you eat reishi mushrooms, your body may be better able to fight off pathogens like bacteria, viruses, and poisons.

Nutritional yeast 

Nutritional yeast is made from brewer’s yeast that has been turned off. This yeast is not alive. Vegans and vegetarians love nutritional yeast because it has protein and vitamin B12, often only found in animal products. In addition, its cheesy, savory taste makes it a popular choice for vegan cheese substitutes and savory sauces, whether powdered or flaked.

Rye

You can make darker bread by adding more rye flour to the recipe. 100% rye bread doesn’t rise as much as rye bread made with wheat flour. It also tastes and feels different. Rye flour is often mixed with wheat flour because it is thicker and has a stronger flavor than wheat flour.

Baker’s yeast

Baker’s yeast is a yeast strain often used when making bread. Bread rises because yeast eats sugar and makes ethanol and carbon dioxide gas. These gasses cause air bubbles in the dough to get bigger. The amount of beta-glucan in baker’s yeast is high enough that a certain strain is being offered to makers of food, drinks, and dietary supplements to boost the immune system.

Barley

Barley is a whole grain that has a lot of fiber. It’s one of the best places to get beta-glucan and oats. Barley that is not fully grown is called “barley grass.” Barley grass is high in beta-glucan and has properties that help fight cancer. In the lab, it was shown that barley grass extract could stop the growth of breast and prostate cancer cells.

Conclusion

Beta-Glucan can be found in multiple food sources and supplement forms. It has a ton of health benefits for the human body. Include some of the food mentioned above sources and improve your health naturally.