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Washington: Peaches
and plums have bioactive compounds that can fight off
obesity-related diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, says a new
study.
The study showed that the compounds in such fruits could be a
weapon against "metabolic syndrome", in which obesity and
inflammation lead to serious health issues, according to Luis
Cisneros-Zevallos, Texas AgriLife Research food scientist.
"In recent years, obesity has become a major concern in society
due to the health problems associated to it," said Cisneros-Zevallos,
also associate professor at Texas A&M University.
"In the US, statistics show that around 30 percent of the
population is overweight or obese, and these cases are increasing
every year in alarming numbers," added Cisneros-Zevallos,
according to a Texas statement.
While he acknowledged that lifestyle, genetic predisposition and
diet play a major role in one's tendency toward obesity, "the
major concern about obesity is the associated disease known as
metabolic syndrome."
"Our studies have shown that stone fruits - peaches, plums and
nectarines - have bioactive compounds that can potentially fight
the syndrome," Cisneros-Zevallos said.
"Our work indicates that phenolic compounds present in these
fruits have anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic
properties in different cell lines and may also reduce the
oxidation of bad cholesterol LDL which is associated to
cardiovascular disease."
What is unique to these fruits, he said, is that their mixture of
the bioactive compounds work simultaneously within the different
components of the disease.
"Our work shows that the four major phenolic groups - anthocyanins,
clorogenic acids, quercetin derivatives and catechins - work on
different cells - fat cells, macrophages and vascular endothelial
cells," he explained. "They modulate different expressions of
genes and proteins depending on the type of compound."
"However, at the same time, all of them are working simultaneously
in different fronts against the components of the disease,
including obesity, inflammation, diabetes and cardiovascular
disease," he explained.
These findings will be presented at the American Chemical Society
in Philadelphia in August.
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