Across Asia, sea cucumbers are esteemed for their culinary appeal and emerging role in diabetes prevention, as recent findings from the University of South Australia revealed. Delving into the curative attributes of sea cucumbers (Holothuria scabra), the study uncovers that sea cucumbers, when processed and dried with salt, can impede the formation of a compound closely linked to heightened diabetes risk, thereby potentially reducing the disease’s onset.
Currently, the market lacks a direct therapeutic solution to prevent the generation of this problematic compound, known as Advanced Glycation End product (AGE). AGEs result from proteins and fats merging with sugars in the bloodstream, leading to detrimental effects when amassed in significant quantities. Such effects include exacerbating diabetes-related complications like heart conditions, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, kidney ailments, and cancer.
UniSA’s Dr Permal Deo, the study’s principal investigator, highlights the significance of understanding the capacity of sea cucumbers’ bioactive elements to block AGEs, which could safeguard against these illnesses. Dr Deo points out, “Given the link between AGEs accumulation and type 2 diabetes complications, identifying preventative measures could mitigate the risk of such conditions.”
Dr Deo, the lead researcher at UniSA, further elucidates on the potential of biologically active substances found in medicinal flora and foodstuffs as preventative agents against diabetic complications. The study, which investigated the AGE-inhibiting properties of sea cucumbers, uncovered their remarkable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. These findings are of significant importance, revealing that sea cucumbers, mainly when processed and dried with salt and collagen, can significantly suppress AGEs, thereby reducing the risk of diabetes.
In Australia alone, close to 1.3 million individuals live with type 2 diabetes, a condition affecting approximately 422 million people worldwide. This global health issue results in 1.5 million deaths each year directly linked to diabetes.
Dietary and lifestyle alterations can delay or even prevent about 60 per cent of type 2 diabetes cases. The research presents compelling evidence that sea cucumbers, with their unique properties, could be harnessed as a functional food to combat diabetes onset and its associated complications. This discovery offers a novel and potentially promising approach to managing this widespread health challenge.
More information: Hoi Y. Wong et al, Holothuria scabra Jaegar 1833 (Sandfish) extracts and collagens modulate protein-bound Nε-carboxymethyllysine, Nε-carboxyethyllysine and methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 levels, International Journal of Food Science and Technology. DOI: 10.1111/ijfs.16341
Journal information: International Journal of Food Science and Technology Provided by University of South Australia
