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Health See other Health Articles Title: Maple syrup could help fight cancer, diabetes Could one of this country's most famous exports help fight cancer and diabetes? That's the prospect being raised by a new, industry-funded study of maple syrup that heaps sweet praise on Canada's pure liquid gold. Researchers from University of Rhode Island say they've found a host of benefits in maple syrup, including anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents, and properties that may help keep blood sugar levels in check - a potential boon to those with diabetes. The research was funded by a grant from the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, as well as Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Researchers say maple syrup contains a cocktail of polyphenol compounds. Polyphenols are a group of chemical substances found in plants with numerous health benefits. "It is a one-stop shop for these beneficial compounds, several of which are also found in berries, tea, red wine and flaxseed, just to name a few," said Dr. Navindra Seeram in a news release. Seeram is an assistant pharmacy professor at the university, and was the lead scientist on the research team. The diabetes potential still needs to be verified in clinical trials. However, the researchers say the polyphenols they found in maple syrup ``inhibit enzymes that are involved in the conversion of carbohydrate to sugar." "In preliminary studies maple syrup had a greater enzyme-inhibiting effect compared to several other healthy plant foods, such as berries, when tested on a dry-weight basis,'' Seeram said. Diabetes is a disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood, which can damage organs, blood vessels and nerves. The idea that maple syrup could help control the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar, has some potentially significant implications, which, the researchers acknowledged, will need further study. ``Finding a potential anti-diabetic compound in maple syrup is interesting for the scientific community and the consumer," said Seeram. There are currently more than nine million Canadians living with diabetes or prediabetes, according to the Canadian Diabetes Association. Prediabetes is also known as borderline diabetes. It's the condition someone is said to be in when their blood sugar is between normal and diabetic levels. The study's findings were presented this past week at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in Anaheim, California. © Copyright (c) Postmedia News Read more: www.canada.com/Maple+syru.../story.html#ixzz1IS8Iffow
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#1. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
Interesting. Have you seen how much the price of real maple syrup has gone up? Used to buy a gallon at Costco for $20 bucks and now it's $12 for a quart.
" If you cannot govern yourself, you will be governed by assholes. " Randge, Poet de Forum, 1/11/11
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