Geymnema Sylvestre Is able to block the sensation of sweet on the tongue for 15 to 20 minutes after it is drank as a tea.  It should always be consumed in this manner, imho, because the heat has a positive effect on the absorption of the active components. 

Even if this was the only effect of gymenma sylvestre, its would remain a miraculous herb, but alas it has many other effects. 

Gymnema can fill the sugar receptors in the gut, blocking and slowing the absorbtion of glucose .  This action prevents spikes in blood glucose that lead to spikes in insulin and an inflammatory cascade that once initiated is difficult to halt.   This effect is limited to 45 minutes to an hour from the time of ingestion, so I recommend ingesting this directly before consuming a meal.

Gymnema has a third miraculous effect.  It is able to regenerate the beta pancreatic insulin producing cells that have been destroyed due to constantly high blood glucose.  So those of us that require insulin in addition to blood sugar regulating compound may actually be able to lower or eliminate the need for insulin.  Only adjust insulin dosages in conjunction with reading from a blood glucose monitor and preferably under the guidance of a naturopathic physician.

I made the above claim of an immune system builder because I beleive that any compound that eliminates stress on the body will in the long term help regenerate the Immune system.  It may not be a direct on immune cells, but when the immune system does not have to deal with the toxic effects of high blood sugar it is able to focus on protecting the body from foreign agents as it was intended to do.

Well thanks for reading my post, and I really can't wait to hear back from people who have used this herb successfully in the past and hear from first time users that are pleased with their response from this herb:)