Khaberni - A recent scientific study has revealed that roasted coffee contains previously unknown compounds, making it promising in helping to manage type 2 diabetes.
Researchers identified three main compounds that have a strong ability to inhibit an enzyme known as "alpha-glucosidase", which plays a key role in converting starches to simple sugars. Inhibiting the activity of this enzyme is a known mechanism in diabetes treatment, as it is relied upon by some currently used drugs.
These compounds fall under what is known as "functional foods", which are foods that offer benefits beyond nutrition alone, containing active elements that support human health, such as reducing blood sugar, offering antioxidant benefits, or protecting the nervous system. However, finding these compounds in complex foods like coffee is challenging due to the intertwined chemical components.
To overcome these difficulties, researchers used advanced analytical techniques that allow for the rapid and accurate identification of active compounds, even in very small quantities. The study focused on roasted "Arabica" coffee beans, which were shown to be a promising source of compounds with antidiabetic properties.
The research team adopted a three-stage strategy to separate the compounds found in coffee and test their effectiveness. Initially, the coffee extract was divided into small parts, and each part was analyzed to determine its effect on the sugar enzyme. The results showed that a specific set of these parts was the most biologically active.
After conducting more precise analyses, the scientists isolated three new compounds which were given special scientific names. These compounds showed a remarkable ability to inhibit the enzyme associated with high blood sugar, and some even surpassed the effectiveness of a well-known drug used for diabetes treatment.
The discovery did not stop there, as the researchers used even more advanced analytical tools to detect other compounds present in very small amounts. This phase led to the discovery of three additional new compounds with similar properties, further highlighting the importance of coffee as a rich source of beneficial elements for health.
The study confirmed that these compounds had not been previously recorded in scientific databases, which proves the novelty of the discovery. The results also demonstrated the effectiveness of the scientific method used in quickly uncovering beneficial compounds within complexly structured foods.
The researchers concluded that these findings open new possibilities for developing food ingredients or health supplements derived from coffee to help regulate blood sugar. They also indicated that this research method could be applied to other foods to discover new healthy compounds, focusing future studies on testing the safety and effectiveness of these compounds inside the living body.
