Coloured Capsicums can control diabetes, obesity: Study

A new study revealed that different coloured capsicums can control diabetes and obesity (Diabesity). The findings of the study were published in the Natural Products Research journal on 13 April 2015.

The research was carried out by a team of scientists led by Dr Ashok Kumar Tiwari of the CSIR- Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT). They analysed green, yellow and red bell peppers for their anti-hyperglycaemic and anti-hyperlipidemic effect and found encouraging results.

Particularly, they studied the impact of the bell peppers, popularly known as capsicum, on nutrition digestive enzymes carbohydrate cleaving enzyme alpha-glucosidase and lipid-slicing enzyme pancreatic lipase.

Normally, carbohydrates are broken down into disaccharides and ultimately into glucose by the activity of alpha-glucosidase enzyme present in the intestinal wall while pancreatic lipase converts lipid into fatty acids.

Interestingly, the scientists found that yellow and red bell peppers slowed down digestion of carbohydrates and lipids. It was found that yellow capsicum significantly inhibited the activity of alpha- glucosidase and lipase enzyme as compared to green capsicum.

Once the digestion of carbohydrates and lipids gets slow down, the concentration of glucose and lipids in the blood would be less and as a result the chances of developing hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidemia would be reduced.

Findings of the Study
Yellow capsicum would naturally be a better option than green capsicum. Yellow and red capsicums were more effective than green capsicum due to the presence of oligomerised anthocyanins. They were better inhibitors than pro-anthocyanins found in green capsicum.

Moreover, yellow and red capsicums possess better anti-oxidative activity than green variety. Oxidative stress gives raise to free radicals which damage biomolecules and has been implicated in many diseases, including diabetic complications, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.