From Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, July 14: Diabetes patients can take a breather as scientists have claimed that Joha rice which is grown in Meghalaya and Assam has been found effective in lowering glucose levels and thwart the onset of diabetes.
Famous for its aroma and excellent taste, Joha rice comes as good news for millions of diabetic and pre-diabetic patients in the country who are often forced to take the beloved rice off their plates due to the high glycemic index of processed white rice on our supermarket shelves.
The study conducted by scientists at the Institute of Advanced Studies in Science and Technology, in Guwahati found that the endemic Indian rice variety is showing immense promise against not only type 2 diabetes but also cardiac ailments.
Such claims around its anti-diabetic and cardio protective potential prompted the researchers to explore its unique properties.
Through in vitro laboratory analysis, the scientists detected two unsaturated fatty acids in Joha rice variety – linoleic acid (omega-6) and linolenic (omega-3) acid.
Remarkably, these essential fatty acids, which humans cannot produce on their own, offer a plethora of physiological benefits including ability to combat various metabolic diseases like diabetes, heart ailments, and even cancer!
Intriguingly, the scented Joha rice has a perfectly balanced ratio of these essential compounds compared to other widely consumed scented varieties. Joha rice is also brimming with bioactive compounds, popularly called antioxidants, flavonoids and phenolics, with known efficacy in lowering blood sugar and protecting against heart disease, the scientists found.
Laboratory studies conducted on diabetic rats show Joha rice diet actively lowered blood glucose levels and raised insulin levels compared to diets based on other rice varieties. Surprisingly, the rats on the Joha rice diet could even successfully recover from diabetes and thwart its onset.
Incidentally, India has become the ‘diabetes capital of the world’, according to a study by the Indian Council of Medical Research. It shows the country now has 101 million diabetics, with a further 136 million pre-diabetic individuals in need of prevention.