[Latin Name] Andrographis paniculata(Burm.f.)Nees

[Plant Source] Whole herb

[Specification] Andrographolides 10%-98% HPLC

[Appearance] White powder

Plant Part Used: Herb

[Particle size] 80Mesh

[Loss on drying] ≤5.0%

[Heavy Metal] ≤10PPM

[Storage] Store in cool & dry area, keep away from the direct light and heat.

[Shelf life] 24 Months

[Package] Packed in paper-drums and two plastic-bags inside.

[Net weight] 25kgs/drum

[What is Andrographis?]

Andrographis paniculata is a bitter tasting annual plant, referred to as the “King of Bitters.” It has white-purple flowers and it is native to Asia and India where it has been valued for centuries for its numerous medicinal benefits. Over the past decade, andrographis has become popular in America where it is often used alone and in combination with other herbs for a variety of health purposes.

[How does it work?]

According to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the active ingredient in andrographis is andrographolides. Due to the andrographolides, andrographis has potent anti-inflammatory and antimalarial properties. It also has antimicrobial properties, meaning it can help to fight off and prevent infections from harmful microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria and fungi. In addition, andrographis is a powerful antioxidant and it can help to prevent free radical induced damage to your cells and DNA

[Function]

Cold and Flu

Scientists have discovered that andrographis helps to boost the immune system by stimulating the body’s production of antibodies and macrophages, which are large white blood cells that scavenge harmful microorganisms. It is taken for both the prevention and treatment of the common cold, and it is often referred to as Indian echinacea. It might help lessen the severity of cold symptoms such as sleeplessness, fever, nasal drainage and sore throat.

Cancer, Viral Infections and Heart Health

Andrographis may also help to prevent and treat cancer, and preliminary studies done in test tubes found that extracts of andrographis help to treat stomach, skin, prostate and breast cancer. Due to the herb’s antiviral properties, andrographis is used to treat herpes and it is also currently being studied as a treatment for Aids and HIV as well. Andrographis also promotes heart health and can help to prevent the formation of blood clots as well as to dissolve already formed blood clots. In addition, the herb relaxes smooth muscles in the walls of blood vessels and thereby helps to reduce high blood pressure.

Additional Benefits

Andrographis is used to promote gallbladder and digestive health. It also helps to support and strengthen the liver and it is used in combination with other herbs in several Ayurvedic formulations to treat liver disorders. Finally, andrographis extracts taken orally have been found to help neutralize the poisonous effects of snake venom.

Dosage and Precautions

The therapeutic dose of andrographis is 400 mg, twice daily, for up to 10 days. Although andrographis is considered safe in humans, the NYU Langone Medical Center warns that animal studies suggest that it may impair fertility. Andrographis may cause unwanted side effects such as headaches, fatigue, allergic reactions, nausea, diarrhea, altered taste and pain in the lymph nodes. It may also interact with certain medications and as with any supplement you should consult your health care practitioner before taking the herb.

https://authoritynutrition.com/

Luckily there are quite a few sweeteners found in nature that are actually quite good for health. This video looks at 4 at the healthiest.

1. Stevia

Stevia is a very popular low-calorie sweetener. It’s extracted from the leaves of the South American Stevia plant.

There are several sweet compounds found in Stevia leaves, the main ones are Stevioside and Rebaudioside A.

Both are many hundred times sweeter than sugar, gram for gram, but have virtually no calories.

Some studies in humans have shown Stevia to have health benefits.

When blood pressure is high, Stevia can lower it by 6-14%.

However, it has no effect on blood pressure that is normal or only mildly elevated.

Stevia has been shown to lower blood sugar levels in diabetics, at least short term.

2. Erythritol

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that is found naturally in certain fruits, and also used as a low-calorie sweetener. Sugar alcohols are like hybrids of a carbohydrate and an alcohol molecule- it doesn’t contain any ethanol though so doesn’t make you drunk.

Erythritol contains 0.24 calories per gram, or about 6% of the calories as sugar, with 70% of the sweetness.

It doesn’t spike blood sugar or insulin levels and has no effect on biomarkers like cholesterol or triglycerides.

Erythritol tastes very much like sugar, although it can have a mild aftertaste. And while studies show that it’s safe, it can cause digestive issues if you consume too much at a time.

3. Xylitol

Xylitol is also a sugar alcohol with a sweetness similar to sugar.

It contains 2.4 calories per gram, or about 2/3rds of the caloric value of sugar.

Studies have shown it has some benefits for dental health, and may also improve bone density, helping to prevent osteoporosis. It doesn’t raise blood sugar or insulin levels.

But as with other sugar alcohols, it can cause digestive side effects at high doses. Oh, and it’s highly toxic to dogs, so you might want Xylitol out of the house if you have a dog.

4. Yacon Syrup

Yacon syrup is harvested from the Yacon plant, which grows natively in the Andes in South America.

This sweetener has recently become popular as a weight loss supplement, because one study found it caused significant weight loss in overweight women. While it’s promising, one study on its own doesn’t count for much.

But what makes yacon syrup stand out is the high fructooligosaccharide content, which function as soluble fibers that feed the good bacteria in the intestine.

It can help against constipation and has various benefits due to the high amount of soluble fiber. Don’t eat too much at a time though, as it may cause digestive problems.

There are several popular sweeteners that health conscious people often eat instead of sugar. This includes coconut sugar, molasses, honey and maple syrup.

In reality they really aren’t much different from regular sugar. If you are heavily overweight or insulin resistant, large amounts of any of these is not good for you.

That’s not to say they are harmful for everyone though. In the context of a healthy, real food based diet, small amounts of these natural sugars won’t cause harm.

Further reading: https://authoritynutrition.com/4-healthy-natural-sweeteners/

Follow Authority Nutrition:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorityNutrition/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthNutrition
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+Authoritynutrition
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authynutrition/

—- Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/user/AuthorityNutrition?sub_confirmation=1

Studies mentioned in video:

Study 1: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14693305
Study 2: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14681845
Study 3: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19254816

In this special series called “The Neonicotinoid View”, host June Stoyer talks to Tibor Szabo, the Vice-President of the Ontario Beekeeper’s Association, about the latest efforts to ban neonicotinoids in Canada as well as a new petition to help the effort. Stay tuned!

©2013 The Organic View Radio Show. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials on these pages are copyrighted by the The Organic View Radio Show. No part of these pages, either text or image may be used for any purpose other than personal use. Therefore, reproduction, modification, storage in a retrieval system or retransmission, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise, for reasons other than personal use, is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. The identifier “The Organic View” refers collectively to The Organic View Radio Show, TheOrganicView.com, The Organic View Network, Clean Energy View, The Neonicotinoid View and The NLP View. General inquiries should be directed to our Web feedback box, info(@)theorganicview.com or from the contact form at the top of most pages on our site, www.theorganicview.com.