Administrator

[NEW DELHI] A scented rice variety grown in India’s remote northeast, known as Joha rice, not only prevents type 2 diabetes but is also rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which work against heart disease, scientists have found.

Diabetes is a major global health problem, affecting an estimated 537 million adults aged 20 to 79 years in 2021, according to the International Diabetes Federation. The figure is predicted to rise to 783 million by 2045.

Early onset of type 2 diabetes is increasingly common but the condition is reversible through changes in lifestyles and diet, including the moderation of white rice consumption. Rice is a staple in many countries but it can affect blood sugar levels and increase the risk of diabetes.

“Given that rice is a staple in the Asia Pacific region and also widely consumed around the world, we believe that popularising a rice variety with potent anti-diabetic activity such as Joha could greatly help reduce the prevalence of type 2 diabetes,”
Rajlakshmi Devi, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology
Joha rice, a short-grain, winter variety known for its unique aroma and taste, drew the attention of researchers at India’s Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST) because of the popular belief that those who consume it regularly are spared diabetes and cardiovascular illnesses.

“Such claims ascribing important nutraceutical properties [health benefits] to Joha rice called for scientific validation and that is how we began investigations at our laboratories,” says Rajlakshmi Devi, research leader and professor at IASST’s Life Sciences Division at Guwahati, capital of the northeastern state of Assam.

Investigations at the IASST showed the presence of two unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid (omega-6) and linolenic (omega-3) acid, which are important for human health and need to be included in diets because they are not naturally produced in the human body, says Devi.