Anthocyanins, red, purple, and blue pigments found in fruits, vegetables, and tubers, have properties that reduce the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, according to recent research.
Anthocyanins, the red, purple, and blue pigments found in fruits, vegetables, and tubers, are known to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a recent review article. These pigments have a positive effect on energy metabolism, gut microbiota, and inflammation, and when they are acylated, they activate an acyl group.
Purple potatoes, purple sweet potatoes, radishes, purple carrots, and red cabbages have a large amount of acylated anthocyanins, while bilberries and mulberries have a lot of nonacylated anthocyanins, although they have beneficial antioxidant effects that lower the risk of diabetes.
Kang Chen, a Postdocoral Researcher at the University of Turku, Finland, says the research has shown that the acylation has an influence on how anthocyanins are absorbed and metabolized.
The acylated anthocyanins are more potent antioxidants than the nonacylated anthocyanins, and they can enhance the intestinal barrier that allows the absorption of necessary nutrients. In addition, the acylated anthocyanins maintain gut microbiota homeostasis, suppress pro-inflammatory pathways, and regulate glucose and lipid metabolism.
Chen concludes that purple vegetables contain many acylated anthocyanins, as well as the Finnish variety 'Synkeä Sakari.'
Anthocyanins travel through our bodies from the upper gastrointestinal tract to the colon, where they are metabolized by the gut microbiota. Different glucose transporters are responsible for the absorption of acylated and nonacylated anthocyanins.
Chen summarizes. Anthocyanins can be acylated or nonacylated.
Kang Chen, Maaria Katariina Kortesniemi, and Baoru Yang, 14 December 2022, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c05879.
