How Colorful Potatoes Can Help Fight Diabetes and Obesity: a Kid-friendly Explanation
by Jorge Luis Alonso with ChatGPT-4
In a joint study, the Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and Kunsan National University analyzed the composition of phenolic compounds in colored potatoes from Korea. The study showed that the anthocyanins in these potatoes have the potential to inhibit enzymes associated with metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity. This is a summary of its content.
First, let’s break this text down into simpler terms.
Colored potatoes: These are just like regular potatoes, but they are different colors like purple or red. Their color comes from something called anthocyanin compounds.
Anthocyanin compounds: These are substances found in plants that give them color. In this case, they give the potatoes their unique colors.
Phenolic compounds: These are a type of chemical found in these potatoes. The study looked at what these compounds are and how much is in the potatoes.
Alpha-Glucosidase and Lipase: These are enzymes, which are types of proteins that help speed up reactions in our bodies. α-Glucosidase is associated with breaking down carbohydrates, and lipase helps break down fats. They’re also linked to conditions such as diabetes and obesity.
Ethyl acetate: This is a type of compound that was found to inhibit (or slow down) the action of α-glucosidase in purple potatoes.
In vitro digestion model: This is a laboratory experiment that mimics how our stomachs and intestines digest food. The researchers used it to see if the potatoes could act as functional foods.
Functional foods: These are foods that have health benefits beyond just providing nutrition. The researchers suggest that these colored potatoes could be functional foods because they may help control enzymes linked to diabetes and obesity.
Now, let’s put this all together in a simpler way.
This study is about colored potatoes. You know, the purple and red ones you might see at the grocery store. These potatoes get their color from something called anthocyanins. The scientists found that these colored potatoes from Korea have chemicals that can slow down some enzymes in our bodies, one that helps break down carbohydrates and another that helps break down fats.
Why is this important? Well, when these enzymes go too fast, it can lead to health problems like diabetes and obesity. By slowing down these enzymes, these potatoes could help prevent these health problems.
They also found that these benefits don’t disappear when the potatoes are digested, at least in their lab tests. This means that these colored potatoes could be a kind of superfood that not only gives us vitamins and minerals but also helps keep us healthy in other ways.
Source: Lee, E. H., Hong, S., Kim, S. M., & Pan, C. (2023). Inhibitory effect of anthocyanin-enriched fractions from colored potatoes against lipase and α-glucosidase. LWT, 114952. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2023.114952
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