Recent scientific discoveries have revealed a new class of nutrients essential for life: Glyconutrients. Glyconutrients are sugars (mostly non sweet) found in nature that serve vital functional and structural roles in the human body. Of the 200 or so found in nature, science has identified 8 that are essential. The more science learns about these sugars, the more we understand just how important they are to our health.

Like other essential nutrients, we are meant to get all the glyconutrients we need from our diets, specifically fruits and vegetables that have ripend fully on the plant or vine.  Unfortunately, due to current farming and food processing practices, at least six out of the eight necessary glyconutrients are not available in our diets today. Even small amounts of these sugars, or the lack of them, can have profound effects on how the body works.

Some of these sugars can be found in Aloe Vera, Shiitake mushrooms, and in medicinal herbs such as Curcumin and Echinacea.

Drs. Atiya N. Stancil and Leslie H. Hicks, both of Howard University in Washington, D.C., published a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study investigating the impact of Ambrotose^® complex (the 8 sugars) on the brain function of 62 healthy young adults. The study showed that a single, one-tablespoon serving of Ambrotose complex significantly improved visual discrimination and working memory.*

* Stancil AN, Hicks LH (2009) Glyconutrients and perception, cognition, and memory. Perceptual Mot Skills 10:259-270.