"How Much Do You Know About Food Nutrition" Series | Sprouted Brown Rice Improves Type 2 Diabetes, Researchers Analyze the Reasons

At present, many studies have shown that eating brown rice can help improve type 2 diabetes, but due to its rough taste, the whole grain intake level of Chinese residents is relatively low. So, how effective is sprouted brown rice, which tastes better, in improving type 2 diabetes and what is its mechanism? Professor Shan Yujuan's team from the School of Public Health and Management of Wenzhou Medical University conducted relevant research.

According to Shan Yujuan, during the germination process of germinated brown rice, a large number of enzymes are activated, which not only significantly improves the taste of brown rice, but also produces a variety of beneficial active products, such as γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), vitamin E, etc. These active products may help improve the metabolic disorders of patients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. However, to date, population-based trials on the correlation between germinated brown rice and diabetes are still very lacking.

In 2022, a study published by Shan Yujuan's team in the journal "Molecular Nutrition & Food Research" evaluated the effects of germinated brown rice intervention on branched-chain amino acid metabolism in patients with type 2 diabetes. The results showed that germinated brown rice can improve fasting blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes, and its potential mechanism may be related to improving insulin resistance and accelerating the catabolism of branched-chain amino acids.

Sprouted brown rice diet improves fasting blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes by affecting branched-chain amino acid metabolism

In addition, in recent years, type 2 diabetes has been confirmed to be an inflammatory disease. So can sprouted brown rice improve the blood sugar and blood lipid disorders of type 2 diabetes by anti-inflammatory? Professor Shan Yujuan's team conducted another research and analysis. The results showed that consuming 100 grams of sprouted brown rice instead of the same amount of rice for 3 consecutive months can improve the glucose and lipid metabolism disorders of patients with type 2 diabetes by affecting fatty acid-related inflammatory metabolites. The research results were published in the journal Clinical Nutrition published in April this year.

Overview of the effect of germinated brown rice on improving glucose and lipid metabolism in people with type 2 diabetes by affecting fatty acid metabolism

Shan Yujuan believes that the current research results show that dietary sprouted brown rice can improve type 2 diabetes, which may be related to its effect on branched-chain amino acid catabolism and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolites. In addition, the dietary inflammatory index of sprouted brown rice is lower than that of polished rice, which may be anti-inflammatory by affecting n-3 and n-6 ​​metabolites, thereby improving blood sugar and blood lipid levels.

"We are very happy to get such experimental results. In recent years, there are more and more studies on the effect of adequate whole grain intake on improving type 2 diabetes. From the development of whole grain categories to processing methods, they are becoming more and more refined. Sprouted brown rice is one of the directions. I hope that in the future, patients with type 2 diabetes will have more and better food choices." said Professor Shan Yujuan.

This article was scientifically reviewed by Shan Yujuan, professor at the School of Public Health and Management of Wenzhou Medical University, and Qiao Jingfang from the Whole Grain Channel of the People's Daily Health Client also contributed.