Essential saccharides (glyconutrients)

Glyconutrients are plant saccharides (carbohydrates). Of the approximately 200 carbohydrates or sugars, only 8 are essential to bodily function. Their primary role is in cell-to-cell communication. This communication process is vital for the cells, tissues, organs, and our body to function. All disease conditions are at the cell level.

The role of the essential glyconutrients has only recently been discovered and is considered to be one of the most important medical science discoveries. Researchers proclaim it to be the key to a long, healthy life. The problem is westerners typically don't get all the essential glyconutrients in our diet, due to changes in our food production systems. Most of us, only get 2 of the essential 8 in our diet - glucose and galactose. When we are fit and healthy and not under environmental or emotional or physical stress, our bodies can make the other 6 glyconutrients. But this comes at a huge energy cost. For the production of some of the glyconutrients there are up to 15 energy conversions. If our body is under any stress from a physical/medical condition or any environmental, physical, or emotional stress our body does not have the available energy to produce these missing glyconutrients. The result is a compromised immune system and the onset of degenerative conditions.

The 8 essential glyconutrients:

  • xylose
  • fucose
  • galactose
  • glucose
  • mannose
  • N-acetylglucosamine
  • N-acetylgalactosamine
  • N-acetylneuraminic acid (a sialic acid).

These 8 essential glyconutrients combine with other molecules eg proteins and lipids, to form glycoforms or glycoconjugates that coat cell surfaces.  When they combine with protein molecules, they form glycoproteins that coat the surface of every cell with a nucleus in the human body.  When glyconutrients bind with lipids (fats) they form glycolipids that also adhere to the cell surface. 

Five of the eight essential glyconutrients are found in human breast milk.  This gives us an indication of how important they are.  Glyconutrients are the key to effective cellular communication and proper cell function.

Glyconutrients are not vitamins, minerals, amino acids or enzymes, but are in a class of their own as nutritional supplements.  Glyconutritional supplements derived from plants are formulated based on new understanding in the biochemistry of how the human body maintains health at the cellular level.  Healthy cells lead to healthy tissue – healthy tissue leads to healthy organs – and healthy organs lead to healthy bodies.

Because these 8 glyconutrients are essential to our functioning and are mostly missing from our food sources, it is necessary to take glyconutritional supplements.  When choosing these supplements it important to choose ones that contain all 8 essential glyconutrients from plant origin.  They need to be made to pharmaceutical standards.

More information on glyconutrients