The current megatrend of drugs designed to mimic or enhance the satiety hormone GLP-1 has stimulated interest in those foods and beverages that can accomplish natural production of that hormone. While most of the focus is on the popular macro-ingredients—fibers, protein, and to a lesser extent healthful fats—there’s a wealth of both research-based and traditional background on herbs, roots, rhizomes, fruiting bodies, fungi that can all contribute to GLP-1 production in the body. Prepared Foods Network’s Executive Editor–Technical David Feder interviews regular contributor Dana McCurdy, PhD. Among the many examples she cites are spices such as chili peppers. Barberry root, turmeric, ginger, galangal, and fennel seed.

While not a botanical per se, mushrooms are another GLP-1 enhancer McCurdy brings to the fore, noting how scientists have been verifying these old traditional Chinese medicine and medicinal plants and practices. “In TCM, there are mushrooms that contain almost like a double shot of GLP1 regulators,” she notes. “They have chemical compounds called ‘mycoceuticals’…[that have] a good effectiveness at increasing our GLP -1 levels naturally. But these mushrooms also have beta-glucans…polysaccharides that function almost like an indigestible fiber that act as a prebiotic that feed probiotic bacteria and other beneficial bacteria in the gut and also, in turn, make short chain fatty acids and this will then trigger our GLP -1 release.”

GLP-1’s Botanical Boosters

Dr. McCurdy discusses many other natural botanical boosters of GLP-1 and the science behind how they do their metabolic magic.

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