A new research has claimed that eating yellow and red bell peppers, commonly known as capsicum, can reduce the risk of diabetes and obesity. The study shows that yellow and red bell peppers slowed down the digestion of carbohydrates and lipids which in turn reduce the chances of developing hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidemia.
In the study, the scientists examined the impact of the bell peppers on nutrition digestive enzymes-carbohydrate cleaving enzyme alpha- glucosidase and lipid-slicing enzyme pancreatic lipase. They found that yellow capsicum inhibited the activity of alpha-glucosidase and lipase as compared to green capsicum. The inhibition was almost double than that of green capsicum, said lead author and Senior Principal Scientist, Dr Ashok Kumar Tiwari.
Yellow capsicum would naturally be a better option than green capsicum, he added.
Scientists at the CSIR- Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) also found that the lipase inhibiting activity in red capsicum was equivalent to yellow capsicum. However, the glucosidase inhibition was nearly on par with green capsicum.
Due to the presence of oligomerised anthocyanins, red and yellow capsicums were more effective as compared to green capsicum. They also found that red and yellow capsicums contain better anti-oxidative activity than the green ones. Dr Tiwari said that eating yellow and red capsicum in raw form as salad before the main course may help control diabetes and obesity.
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