Pre-Germinated Brown Rice May Prevent Diabetes

GEORGIA, Austria─The active compounds that contribute to the health benefits of pre-germinated brown rice have been found by researchers. The healthy components are a related set of sterol-like molecules known as acylated steryl-beta-glucosides (ASGs).

Researchers demonstrated that the ASGs had the ability to activate enzymes related to diabetes, and this activation required the acyl chemical group; regular steryl glucosides (SGs) had no effect. And, although ASGs are found in many plants, soybean-derived ASGs had no effect on the diabetic enzymes, indicating the ASG component specific to rice may be unique in its diabetic benefits.