In this blog article, Nikolett Szabó, founder and owner of Naja Forest Ltd., the manufacturer of HerbalVet organic medicinal mushroom products, addresses why the product tastes sweet and whether it contains sugar:
The sweet taste of HerbalVet organic liquid mushroom extracts is attributed to pharmaceutical-grade glycerol, which acts as the carrier. Importantly, it contains no sugar at all! Glycerol can be safely consumed by both people and animals with diabetes, as it does not raise blood sugar levels. According to diabetologists, it is the only sweetener accepted for diabetic patients.
Glycerol does not impact blood sugar levels or metabolism.
- It is commonly used in foods to preserve water content, serve as a solvent, and act as a sweetener.
- When used as a sugar substitute, it has significantly fewer calories than sugar, though its sweetness is only 60% of that of sugar.
- Additionally, glycerol does not promote the growth of caries-causing bacteria.
In our products, we use pharmaceutically pure, non-GMO glycerol derived from Hungarian sunflowers as a preservative and homogenizing agent. Like liposomal technology, it facilitates the delivery of active ingredients to the cells. Glycerol’s crucial role is aiding the absorption of active substances through the mouth’s mucous membrane, a feature present in all living cells. It is generally permitted in foods without quantitative restrictions and has no upper intake limit.
Glycerol enhances the absorption of active ingredients to nearly 100%, a level not achievable with capsules. This has been confirmed in a study conducted with Semmelweis University, which also verified the beneficial effects of both glycerol and the mushrooms’ active ingredients. The active compounds are absorbed directly through the oral mucosa and the small intestine, reaching the cells almost immediately.
Our mushroom extracts can be taken alone or mixed with any solid or liquid food. The taste and texture are comparable to honey, although none of our liquid extracts contain honey. They have a pleasant, sweet taste (thanks to glycerol and polysaccharides) and do not taste like mushrooms. Glycerol also protects the active ingredients from heat, ensuring no loss of potency due to the temperature of the food or drink. The active ingredients are efficiently absorbed through the mouth’s mucous membrane, maximizing their utilization.