Trehalose

Trehalose is a type of sugar that can be used for cooking and baking. The official name of trehalose is alpha,alpha-Trehalose. Its distinction from sucrose is that it is made up of two glucose molecules instead of one glucose molecule and one fructose molecule. Trehalose has the ability to retain water and provide energy to living beings since it is entirely made from glucose.

Two ways to acquire trehalose

People can find natural trehalose in insects. Bees, butterflies, locusts, and grasshoppers all produce trehalose in order to survive in their habitat. Having trehalose in their system lets them receive extra heat and insulation that they can use to survive extremely cold temperatures. Other living organisms that create their own trehalose include bacteria, yeast, fungi, and other plants. Some invertebrates can make trehalose as well. Shrimps are sea invertebrates known to produce and store trehalose complex inside their bodies. For people who are unable to source natural trehalose, chemically-made trehalose is also available. People can create trehalose powder by extracting glucose molecules from corn starch. Many industrial factories do this in a large-scale way to produce big amounts of trehalose for retail consumption.

Some health advantages of consuming trehalose

Trehalose benefits consist of weight loss, anti-aging, and improved brain function. Taking a trehalose supplement regularly can improve a person's eye health, skin elasticity, and brain function. Some studies have found that it could even prevent dementia in the elderly. Ingesting trehalose in food products is a popular way for people with diabetes to stabilize their blood sugar levels as well. This is because trehalose-containing food does not cause a person's blood sugar to spike up drastically as normal sucrose does. Trehalose can also reduce insulin levels. Because of this, diabetics tend to use a trehalose sugar substitute for their beverages, meals, and desserts.