Product review: NutriKane D

NutriKane D is a plant-based supplement designed to help manage blood sugar levels and improve gut health. It contains dietary fibre and resistant starch.

NutriKane D

NutriKane D is plant based and all natural. Even though it’s based on sugarcane, it does not contain sugar. Instead, it is sweetened with stevia.

The product contains micronutrients such as polyphenols and flavonoids. It is safe for people with gluten and FODMAP intolerance.

Benefits

Below are some of the benefits claimed by the manufacturer:

• Support gut health by improving bowel regularity and feeding the gut microbiome
• Reduce blood sugar levels by lowering the glycemic index of foods
• Reduce inflammation
• Assist with weight control

Dose

The recommended dose is one sachet taken twice per day with water, fruit juice or smoothies just before or with meals.

Safety

NutriKane D is safe for elderly individuals, children, pregnant and breastfeeding women.

The science behind NutriKane D

This product has been tested in clinical trials involving diabetic and non-diabetic individuals.

Two trials for intestinal health/constipation showed a significant improvement in gut health for both the diabetic and non-diabetic groups. They also showed improvement in blood sugar levels in diabetic people.

The third study included type 1 and 2 diabetics in a randomised blinded head to head trial against the normal standard of care. This trial showed improvement in blood sugar control, body mass index (BMI), quality of life and compliance. The results were statistically significant for type 2 diabetes patients only, perhaps due to the small sample size for type 1.

There have also been a large number of long term practitioner-led case studies showing benefits of the product in the real world.

Ingredients

Sugarcane fibre (sucrose reduced), red sorghum, citric acid (acidity regulator), stevia (natural sweetener), natural gums and flavour.

Nutrition information

Nutrient	Per serve (7.6g)
Energy (kJ)	74
Protein (g)	0.3
Fat, total (g)	0.1
– Saturated (g)	0.0
Carbohydrate (g)	1.7
– Sugars (g)	0.1
Dietary fibre (g)	3.4
Sodium (mg)	1
Chromium, bioavailable (μg)	26.6

In addition, the product contains the following vitamins and minerals: vitamin C, beta-carotene, selenium, iron, molybdenum, potassium, sodium, zinc, magnesium, manganese, calcium, silica and copper.

Taste test

I tried the product with water as indicated (immediately before or with meals). It has a pleasant, non-chemical flavour. The texture is a little sandy due to the fibre, which I don’t mind.

n=1 experiments

I noticed an improvement in my bowel regularity, especially the first few times I had the product.

But I wanted to know what the NutriKane D was doing to my blood sugar levels. I did a little experiment in which I tested my blood sugar levels using a glucometer before and 1 hour after eating a meal. I repeated the experiment two days in a row, first without consuming NutriKane D and then taking it just before eating the meal.

The first time I did the experiment I ate a serve of my sweet potato frittata with kale and feta, which contains 28.4g of carbohydrate. The results surprised me – my post-prandial (after eating) blood sugar was higher with NutriKane D than without.

I decided to redo the experiment, this time consuming a higher GI carbohydrate source: a medium banana (~19.2g carbohydrate). Once again, my blood sugar rose more with NutriKane D than without.

Taking my anecdotal experience together with the clinical trials showing positive results I can only speculate that the product is more effective in people with some level of metabolic dysregulation.

Summary and recommendations

This product can definitely help with gut health as it contains the type of fibre that is fuel for gut bacteria. In addition, NutriKaneD can help with blood sugar control particularly in people with insulin resistance or diabetes.

As always, consult with an Accredited Practising Dietitian before to find out whether you should take this supplement.

More information

For more information about NutriKaneD and to buy the product online, please visit their website.

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