Blood Sugar And Spice (Diabetes)

Science News ^ | 8-12-2006 | Ben Harder

[blam]

Week of Aug. 12, 2006; Vol. 170, No. 7 , p. 109

Blood sugar and spice

Ben Harder

Eating cayenne pepper with meals may mitigate a hormonal response that's linked to diabetes, a trial of two diets suggests.

To compare the effects on insulin of different patterns of chili pepper consumption, researchers at the University of Tasmania in Launceston, Australia, conducted a study in 36 healthy adults who didn't typically eat chili peppers. Excess insulin production can presage diabetes.

For 4 weeks of the study, each volunteer ate his or her usual bland diet, except for one chili-laden meal at the end of the period. For another 4 weeks, each person ate 30 grams per day of a condiment that was 55 percent cayenne pepper.

At three points—once during the bland diet, once during the spicy diet, and once at the transition—researchers took blood samples from the volunteers. The scientists measured concentrations of insulin and other substances in the samples.

In metabolizing their meals, the study participants produced about one-third less insulin while they were on a spicy diet than on a bland diet. A stand-alone spicy meal had an intermediate effect on insulin, Madeleine Ball and her colleagues report in the July American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Obese volunteers benefited the most, the study revealed.

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[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

I cook with the dried Thai chilies. I buy a couple bags each year, When you finish the bag, there's always a lot of seeds loose in the bottom. I just rake them into the dirt, and forget about them. They always grow!
I operate a small water company, and the small plant is in the middle of a field. We did some construction work there which exposed a lot of bare dirt. Now there are more chiles than weeds.

[Cap Huff]

I never have any trouble getting the Thai peppers to germinate. In the climate I'm compelled to live in, though, I can only grow them indoors. This summer I moved several plants outside, but the cool, damp temperatures of the last few weeks have been hurting the crop. I'll have to move the best of my plants indoors for the winter.

I have tried germinating seeds from dried peppers I bought from an oriental food market, but with no success. I think the peppers have been treated on import.

The birdseye is a different matter. I've read from several sources that they are difficult to germinate. I was happy to get the one plant, and if I like the pepper I'll have to try again, with fresher seeds.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

"with no success. I think the peppers have been treated on import. "
Maybe try a different brand. I don't think the peppers are treated in any way, but there may be a shelf-life on the viability of the seeds therein. Cleveland has a pretty large and active Asian community, so nothin' gets stale.

[jwparkerjr]

Thanks, but it's hardly original with me. Walt Disney called it "The Lady and the Tramp."

[Gabz]

I've grown my own prik kee nuu peppers for some time, but I've recently tried to grow a "wild" birdseye pepper. Out of 15 seeds only one germinated, and the plant is just now beginning to set fruit. I can't wait to try them when they are fully ripe. I understand them to be even hotter than the Thai peppers.

I would kill for seeds from any of the peppers you are talking about........

[TruthSetsUFree]

"I think Type II could be wiped out in less than a generation: there's just so much money to be made."

How do you think it could be wiped out? I'd love to find a cure for my Mother, who is borderline diabetic, but I know it affects other aspects of her health also.

[IslandJeff]

I didn't mean to sound insensitive to the plight of current Adult-Onsets. For that, I apologize.

There's a little bit of jealousy in the Injecting-Forever community, as Type II can be largely controlled (and possibly even prevented) by watching diet and exercise during middle age. No, you can't choose your grandparents, but there are several helpful oral agents out there (Glucophage, Glyburide, etc.) and, with careful regular monitoring, the ravaging effects of DM can be largely mitigated (macular degeneration, renal failure, etc.)

I'm no endocrinologist (nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn), but the drumbeat of research will eventually find a way to flawlessly open cell walls to glucose metabolism. Heck, start shooting Lispro and NPH and overwhelm the bloodstream.

Just keep some candy bars handy...

Good Luck to you and your Mother.

[television is just wrong]

lol, I took capsules of cayenne pepper 100,000 heat units for several days. It did burn all the way down and out. It was quite a problem.

It does however replace a pick up that you would get by drinking coffee. And it is supposed to be healthy for your circulatory system, but you must take it with food or you will have burny burps and they are not pleasant.

[television is just wrong]

Cinnamon is helpful for diabetics and helps control bad cholesterol too.

[TruthSetsUFree]

Ah, you didn't sound insensitive at all. My question was sincere. I completely agree with you that there are numerous ailments that could be wiped out, but there's way too much money to be made in not doing so and they support way too many people's livelihoods. In light of that, you may be interested in seeing this rather humorous but relevant allegory:

The Town of Allopath

[muawiyah]

Just cinnamon.

[rock58seg]

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