Sugars Found In Tequila May Protect Against Obesity, Diabetes

Sugars found in tequila may protect against obesity, diabetes

Tequila shots may do more than lighten the mood at a party; the drink may be beneficial for your health as well.
According to researchers from Mexico, natural sugars derived from the agave plant, called agavins, greatly protected a group of mice against diet-induced obesity and type 2 diabetes, MedPage Today reported.
In a new study presented at the American Chemical Society (ACS) annual meeting in Dallas, mice were distributed into seven groups. One group received a diet of plain water, while the other groups received water supplemented with either aspartame, glucose, fructose, sucrose, agave syrup or agavins.
The mice that consumed agavins showed a reduction in food intake and weight and a decrease in blood glucose levels. These findings were similar to the control group that received standard water.
Because agavins act as dietary fibers and do not raise blood sugar, the researchers believe the ingredient could be used as an alternative sweetening agent.
"We believe agavins have a great potential as a light sweetener," Mercedes G. López, of the Centro de Incetagcioan y de Estudios Avanzados, Biotechnology and Biochemistry Irapuato, in Guanajuato, Mexico wrote in the ACS abstract. "They are sugars, highly soluble, with a low glycemic index and a neutral taste…This puts agavins in a tremendous position for their consumption by obese and diabetic people."
The alcoholic beverage tequila is made from the blue agave plant, primarily around the Mexican city of Tequila. However, Lopez noted that agavins are not widely available and not as sweet as regular sugars. Continue reading

Rate this article

Total 1 ratings

Probiotics and Diabetes: Can Probiotics Help?

The word “bacteria” is enough to make most people cringe. And the knowledge that there are about 39 trillion bacteria in the human body can seem horrifying (there are more bacteria in the body than there are cells!). Yes, there are the bad, harmful bacteria that can cause disease and illness. But there are also the helpful, good bacteria that research increasingly indicates play a role in health promotion and disease prevention.
Microbiome 101
We all have bacteria in our digestive tract. While it’s unpleasant to think about, the reality is that they’re there to stay. The collection of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites (called microorganisms) in our gut is called the microbiome. Some are potentially harmful, but many of them are the good guys with the potential to help fight off illness and chronic disease.
Everyone’s microbiome is unique; in other words, no two people have the same microbiome. That’s because the microbiota is determined, initially, by your DNA. When you’re born, you’re exposed to your mother’s microorganisms during delivery, and, if you’re breastfed, through your mother’s breast milk. Over time, the environment and your diet influence the type of microorganisms. For example, people who eat foods of animal origin have a very different microbiome (or gut flora) than those who eat plant-based foods.
Research has shown that people who eat a typical American diet have less diverse microbiota than those eating a plant-based diet. The more diversity you have in your gut, the more likely you are to have better digestion, nutrient absorpt Continue reading

Probiotics Have Adjunctive Role in Diabetes Care

Nearly a decade ago, microbiome researchers began publishing reports suggesting that bacteria in the intestines play a role in glucose metabolism. Recent studies support that thesis, and provide a basis for use of probiotics as adjunctive treatments for people with type 2 diabetes.
The notion that microflora can affect insulin sensitivity has its roots in a landmark study by Nadja Larsen and colleagues at the University of Copenhagen. The Danish team showed that people with T2D have striking compositional changes in their intestinal flora compared to non-diabetic subjects.
Moreover, they found that the ratio of Bacteroidetes (“bad” bacteria) to Firmicutes (“good” bacteria) significantly correlated with reduced glucose tolerance (Larsen N, et al. PLoS One. 2010 Feb 5;5(2):e9085).
Since then, many groups have explored the use of probiotic supplements to alter the microbial ecosystem to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. A number of these studies are turning up positive findings.
Small, Meaningful Changes
In a study published in late 2016, 46 patients with type 2 diabetes who were already on insulin therapy were randomly assigned to receive low-dose or high-dose Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 supplements, or a placebo for 12 weeks. The low-dose probiotic regimen provided 108 colony-forming units (CFU) per day; the high-dose preparation contained 1010 CFU. The patients took the probiotics in addition to standard insulin treatments.
At the end of the study, those on the highest dose of L.reuteri had increases in insulin sensitivity index (ISI) scores, a Continue reading

Diabetes-Friendly Soups & Stews

Whether you're the chicken noodle type or a beef stew fan, these flavorful diabetic soup and stew recipes will hit the spot -- without adding extra carbs and calories to your diabetes meal plan.
Whether you're the chicken noodle type or a beef stew fan, these flavorful diabetic soup and stew recipes will hit the spot -- without adding extra carbs and calories to your diabetes meal plan.
Whether you're the chicken noodle type or a beef stew fan, these flavorful diabetic soup and stew recipes will hit the spot -- without adding extra carbs and calories to your diabetes meal plan.
Whether you're the chicken noodle type or a beef stew fan, these flavorful diabetic soup and stew recipes will hit the spot -- without adding extra carbs and calories to your diabetes meal plan. Continue reading

Eating chilli and smoking cannabis ‘could help cure diabetes and colitis – by calming the gut’

WHAT do chilli spice and cannabis have in common?
On the face of it, very little. But, scientists hope both could help develop new treatments for type 1 diabetes and the gut disease colitis.
Getty Images
When eaten, both interact with the same receptor in our stomachs, new findings suggest.
And the result is they help calm the gut, scientists at the University of Connecticut found.
Mice fed both chilli peppers and the class B drug showed less inflammation in their guts.
And, the researchers even found they were able to reverse type 1 diabetes in some mice, by feeding them the fiery pepper.
The chilli was found to bind itself to a receptor called TRPV1, which is found in the gut, oesophagus and pancreas.
When it bound itself to the receptor it created a compound called anandamide, which is chemically similar to cannabinoids found in marijuana.
It was this compound that caused the immune system of the mice to calm down, by reducing inflammation, and the same happened when they were fed anandamide directly.
Reducing inflammation in the pancreas could help in the treatment of diabetes because the pancreas is responsible for maintaining insulin and glucose levels in the body.
A person with diabetes has too much glucose in their system and the pancreas is unable to regulate it.
The brain also creates anandamides when receptors in the brain react to people getting high, but scientists have not known why those receptors exist in the past.
Pramod Srivastava, professor of immunology and medicine at the university, said: "This allows you to imagine ways the immune system and the brain Continue reading