All Sweeteners Not The Same For Managing Type 2 Diabetes

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Source: University of Massachusetts Amherst

Released: Tue 15-Jul-2008, 05:00 ET

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/542605/?sc=dwhn

All Sweeteners Not The Same For Managing Type 2 Diabetes

Description

New research shows that some sweeteners, especially date sugar and dark

brown sugars, contain antioxidants that have the potential to control

diabetes-linked heart disease and high blood pressure. Some sweeteners

used in the study also had the ability to inhibit the activity of a key

enzyme related to Type 2 diabetes.

Contact:

Newswise — Recent research by Kalidas Shetty of the University of

Massachusetts Amherst and Lena Galvez Ranilla of the University of San

Paolo, Brazil, shows that when it comes to managing Type 2 diabetes, all

sweeteners may not be the same. Some sweeteners, including date sugar

and less refined, dark brown sugars, showed potential for managing Type

2 diabetes and related complications − information that could help Type

2 diabetics make better dietary choices.

“Depending on their origin and grade of refining, many sweeteners

contained significant amounts of antioxidants, which have the potential

to control diabetes-linked high blood pressure and heart disease,†says

Shetty, who adds that these were in vitro laboratory studies performed

outside of living organisms. “Several types of sweeteners also showed an

interesting potential to inhibit the action of a key enzyme related to

Type 2 diabetes, which is also the target of drugs used to treat this

condition.â€

Additional members of the research team include food scientist Young-In

Kwon of UMass Amherst and Ines Genovese and Franco Lajolo of

the University of San o, Brazil. Results were published in the most

recent issue of the Journal of Medicinal Food.â€

The team started by collecting an exhaustive array of sweeteners,

everything from the complete line offered by Domino, to unprocessed,

dark brown sugars from Mauritius and Peru. Pure maple syrup, corn

syrup-based sweeteners, “natural†sugar products like sucanat and sugars

from Asia, India, South America and China rounded out the list.

Extracts of the sweeteners were first analyzed to determine their total

content of a group of antioxidants known as phenolic compounds, the same

plant chemicals that give red wine and tea their heart-healthy benefits.

Testing showed that when it comes to sugar, darker is definitely better.

Dark brown sugars contained up to 4,741 micrograms of phenolic compounds

per gram, compared to 18 micrograms per gram for white sugar. The

highest antioxidant levels were found in the darkest sugars.

Further testing showed that these phenolic compounds had significant

antioxidant properties, scavenging harmful free radicals that can damage

the delicate machinery of cells. According to Shetty, high blood sugar

levels in diabetics can cause the overproduction of these free radicals,

contributing to high blood pressure and accelerating the development of

heart disease.

Date sugar produced in the United States and dark brown sugars from Peru

and Mauritius packed the biggest punch, racking up the highest

antioxidant levels and scavenging an impressive 82 to 88 percent of free

radicals in laboratory in vitro tests.

Sweeteners were then tested for their ability to inhibit the activity of

alpha-glucosidase, an enzyme that moderates blood glucose levels by

controlling the passage of sugars from the small intestine. “Diabetes is

characterized by a rapid rise in blood glucose levels after meals,†says

Shetty. “Inhibiting alpha-glucosidase, which is the target of several

drugs used to treat diabetes, can help prevent this spike.â€

Most sweeteners derived from sugar cane inhibited alpha-glucosidase

action by 26 to 50 percent, including the dark brown sugars and natural

sugar products from evaporated cane juice. Date sugar inhibited the

enzyme by 75 percent.

Surprisingly, several sweeteners based on corn syrup inhibited

alpha-glucosidase levels by 77 to 81 percent, although they contained

low levels of phenolic compounds. “This level of inhibition could be due

to sugar polymers known as oligosaccharides that are not completely

broken down, mimicking the action of certain drugs that inhibit

alpha-glucosidase,†says Shetty. “This investigation is continuing.â€

Date sugar and sweeteners based on corn syrup also inhibited an enzyme

that plays a role in high blood pressure, a common complication of

diabetes. According to Shetty, the reason for this is not clear based on

current studies.

“Replacing sugars in processed foods and beverages with low calorie and

noncaloric sweeteners is one long term strategy for Type 2 diabetics,â€

says Shetty. “But these results indicate that a strategic choice of

dietary sweeteners, especially less refined sugars close to the original

nature of the ingredients found in whole plants, also has potential in

managing Type 2 diabetes and related complications. This provides a

strong rationale for further animal and clinical studies for better diet

design.â€

--

ne Holden, MS, RD

" Ask the Parkinson Dietitian " http://www.parkinson.org/

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