The Secret Sauce to Curb Holiday Overeating: L-Glutamine, Bitter Herbs, and Protein Powder
The Secret Sauce to Curb Holiday Overeating: L-Glutamine, Bitter Herbs, and Protein Powder
The holiday season often includes indulgent meals, sugary treats, and endless snacking opportunities. Overeating can leave you feeling sluggish and off-track with health goals. Incorporating the right supplements, such as L-glutamine, bitter herbs, and protein powder, into your routine can support appetite management and help you enjoy the holidays without overindulging. Here’s how each supplement works and why it’s a helpful addition to your wellness toolkit. As usual, feel free to reach out with comments or questions.
1. L-Glutamine: Curbing Sugar Cravings and Supporting Gut Health
L-glutamine, an amino acid, is critical in maintaining gut health and regulating sugar cravings. Here’s how it can help during the holidays:
Reduces Sugar Cravings: L-glutamine can stabilize blood sugar levels by providing an alternative energy source for the brain. Individuals with prediabetes often experience drops in blood sugar (hypoglycemia) followed by sugar cravings and L-glutamine may help resolve low blood sugar without raising insulin levels. Note: most studies have been conducted on animals, not humans (Nunes et al., 2013).
Supports Gut Health: Overeating and indulging in rich foods can upset your digestive system. L-glutamine helps repair the intestinal lining and supports a healthy gut, which can improve digestion and reduce bloating.
How to Use It: Mix 5 grams of L-glutamine powder with water between meals to help manage cravings and support your digestive system.
2. Bitter Herbs: Enhancing Digestion and Reducing Overeating
Bitter herbs, such as dandelion root, gentian, and artichoke leaf, have been used for centuries to support digestion. They work by stimulating digestive enzymes and bile production, which can make a significant difference during heavy holiday meals.
Improves Appetite Control: The bitter taste activates receptors on the tongue that trigger the release of digestive hormones, helping you feel full sooner and reducing the temptation to overeat. They also stimulate the release of GLP-1 hormones (with a significantly shorter half-life than the shot) (Harmon et al., 2021).
Enhances Digestion: Bitter herbs improve the breakdown of fats and proteins by promoting bile flow and enzyme activity, which can reduce the discomfort associated with overindulgence.
Supports Thyroid Health: Although research is scant, digestive bitters are thought to help regulate the production of thyroid hormones and therefore may improve basal metabolism, or the number of calories burned at rest (Harmon et al., 2021).
How to Use It: Take a tincture or capsule containing bitter herbs 15-30 minutes before meals to support digestion and appetite regulation. You can also try sipping on herbal teas made with dandelion or gentian.
3. Protein Powder: Promoting Satiety and Stabilizing Blood Sugar
Protein is a well-known tool for managing hunger and reducing the likelihood of overeating. Protein powder makes it convenient to incorporate high-quality protein into your diet, even during the busy holiday season.
Increases Fullness: Protein takes longer to digest than carbohydrates, helping you feel fuller for longer. Starting your day with a protein-rich smoothie can prevent mid-morning cravings and set the tone for balanced eating.
Balances Blood Sugar: Holiday treats can cause spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels, which may lead to overeating. Protein helps stabilize blood sugar, reducing the urge to snack on sweets.
How to Use It: Choose a high-quality protein powder—such as whey, pea, or collagen—and blend it into a smoothie with greens, almond milk, and a handful of berries. Having this as a meal or snack can help keep your hunger in check. Both whey and vegetarian protein powders are effective options for managing hunger and stabilizing blood sugar (Tiekou et al., 2021).
Making These Supplements Work for You
While L-glutamine, bitter herbs, and protein powder each have unique benefits, they’re most effective when paired with mindful eating habits. Here are a few additional tips:
Stay Hydrated: Sometimes thirst is mistaken for hunger. Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Prioritize Balanced Meals: Include protein, healthy fats, and fiber in your meals to support satiety and prevent overeating.
Practice Mindfulness: Take your time during meals and focus on enjoying every bite.
Final Thoughts Before You Head to the Party
Holiday overeating doesn’t have to be inevitable. Try incorporating L-glutamine, bitter herbs, and protein powder into your routine – manage cravings, support digestion, and promote satiety.
Before heading out, make a protein shake to avoid arriving hungry. Once you get there, start with a salad, preferably with bitter herbs. If none are available, consider using a bitter herb spray that comes in a tiny bottle small enough to fit into a purse. While there are many great brands, Herb Pharm makes an excellent product.
Lastly, avoid drinking too much because alcohol lowers inhibitions and makes overindulging more likely. It may be helpful to know that many nutritionists recommend L-glutamine to curb alcohol craving as well as sugar cravings.
Disclaimer
The included information is not meant to or should not be used to replace or substitute medical treatment, recommendations, or the advice of your physician or health care provider. The information contained within is strictly for educational purposes and is based on evidence-based nutrition. If you believe you have a medical problem or condition, please contact your physician or healthcare provider.
References:
Harmon, C. P., Deng, D., & Breslin, P. A. S. (2021). Bitter Taste Receptors (T2Rs) are Sentinels that Coordinate Metabolic and Immunological Defense Responses. Current opinion in physiology, 20, 70–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cophys.2021.01.006
Nunes Santiago, A., de Godoi-Gazola, V. A., Fachin Milani, M., de Campos, V. C., Rodrigues Vilela, V., Diaz Pedrosa, M. M., & Bazotte, R. B. (2013). Oral glutamine is superior than oral glucose to promote glycemia recovery in mice submitted to insulin-induced hypoglycemia. International journal of endocrinology, 2013, 841514. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/841514
Tiekou Lorinczova, H., Deb, S., Begum, G., Renshaw, D., & Zariwala, M. G. (2021). Comparative Assessment of the Acute Effects of Whey, Rice and Potato Protein Isolate Intake on Markers of Glycaemic Regulation and Appetite in Healthy Males Using a Randomised Study Design. Nutrients, 13(7), 2157. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13072157
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