Diabetic Drug from the Lentils Flour

Of the three types of lentils, researchers from the University of Jember, East Java, discovering new food raw materials in the form of flour rich in protein. Not only has a high protein content, lentils flour can also lower blood sugar levels of diabetics.

Lablab Purpureous

With this protein-rich flour, Ahmad Nafi, professors and researchers from the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, University of Jember, hoping to get an alternative solution to the problem of national food security and diabetes. Nafi began researching the process of making a protein-rich flour (PRF) since 2004.

There are three types of lentils are investigated, namely komak peanut or lab-lab sweet bean (Lablab Purpureous), kratok bean or lima bean (Phaseolus Lunatus), and sword koro or jack bean (Canavalia Ensiformis). Three types of lentils are grown in abundance in Indonesia, and had only consumed as a vegetable rice companion.

"Final conclusion shows, PRF of the three types of koro was able to become a new food raw materials as well as medication for diabetics," he said yesterday.

Phaseolus Lunatus

To create a protein-rich flour, koro sword beans, koro kratok, and koro komak processed by wet extraction method using water. Protein extracts from lentils and then deposited on its iso-elektric point.

Flour contains protein and starch which is the main source of calories. High protein content increase the potential for utilization as a new food ingredient.

This flour also has good technical functional properties, including water absorption, oil absorption, activity, and emulsion stability. The digestibility of the protein is comparable to soy protein isolate.

Canavalia Ensiformis

"The nature of the functional cause koro PRF can be processed into meat imitations, like sausages, nuggets, and meatballs, and even can be a substitute for wheat flour in the manufacture of instant noodles to 30 percent," said the lecturer who was taking a doctoral program at the University Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Nutrisionalnya properties showed that the PRF of the three types of koro beans has a ratio of essential amino acids is high. The ratio of amylose starch PRF sword koro, kratok, and komak amounted to 36.0 ± 2.7, 42.8 ± 3.2, and 30.0 ± 2.0 percent, so that the lentils flour. Has an value of glycemic index (GI) is low, ranging from 40.71 to 44.05. Food with low GI are very suitable as a diet for people with diabetes.

"Tests in mice and humans suggest koro flour has the ability to reduce blood sugar levels by 21.89 percent in four weeks," he said. *** [MAHBUB DJUNAIDY | KORAN TEMPO 3739]