¿Imaginaste alguna vez que el agave con el cual se elabora el tequila podría ayudar a combatir la obesidad, la osteoporosis y la diabetes? Científicos del Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav) Unidad Irapuato, han descubierto que los fructanos de la planta son un gran aliado en la lucha contra dichas enfermedades.
El grupo científico encabezado por Mercedes Guadalupe López Pérez, adscrita al Departamento Biotecnología y Bioquímica del Cinvestav Irapuato, trabaja con prebióticos de agave llamados fructanos, que son moléculas de azúcar no digeribles, es decir, van directo al intestino grueso y se desechan, por lo que no generan un aumento de peso o modifican los niveles de glucosa en sangre.
El estudio, explicó la investigadora López Pérez, se realiza con ratas, las cuales llevan una dieta estándar suplementada con 10% de fructanos de agave, y luego de ocho semanas de prueba, los animales han presentado una importante reducción de peso.
De acuerdo con la científica, lo que ocurre es que al consumir el fructano la hormona GLP-1 o incretina (que también poseen los seres humanos), encargada de regular hasta 70% de la insulina, se acelera y genera esta sustancia en mayor cantidad.
Además, dicha hormona está relacionada con la saciedad, por lo cual refiere López Pérez: “Es importante, por que una vez regulada, se puede controlar la ingesta de alimentos, el peso y los niveles de glucosa en la sangre lo que también es muy bueno para los diabéticos”.
Los estudios experimentales revelan que consumir los fructanos no sólo ayudarían a combatir la obesidad y la diabetes, si no que de la misma forma pueden mejorar el sistema inmune, reducir los niveles de bacteria que causan enfermedades en el intestino, aliviar el estreñimiento y reducir el riesgo de cáncer de colon.
La investigadora, premiada en el concurso “Las Mujeres Mexicanas Inventoras e Innovadoras Emisión Iris Estrada 2008”, explicó que el fructano de agave también sirve para combatir la osteoporosis.
Durante el estudio se detectó que los ratones que fueron alimentados con la sustancia absorbieron más calcio de la dietas, a diferencia de los que no se alimentó con el suplemento. En los primeros se registró un aumento de hasta 50% en sus niveles de osteocalcina, una proteína asociada con la construcción de hueso y tejido.
“Los resultados sugieren que el llevar una dieta suplementada con fructanos de agave evitaría la descalcificación y mejoraría de manera significativa la formación del tejido óseo”, señaló la investigadora. De hecho, en países como Estados Unidos ya existen alimentos que contienen fructanos de achicoria (planta de hojas recortadas, ásperas y comestibles), pero comparado con los beneficios de los de agave. Este último mostró mejores resultados para el organismo, aunado a que es una planta que se produce muy bien en México.
Actualmente en el mercado mexicano ya se comercializan productos que contienen fructanos de agave, como cereales y leche en polvo, sólo que éste aparece con el nombre de “inulina”. También se cree que podrían tener otras aplicaciones, entre ellas emplearse como sustituto de azúcar, ya que es soluble y no genera olor, sabor, ni aroma, y sobre todo, no es digerible. En el caso del tequila, Mercedes López acotó que si bien éste se genera a través del agave, a la hora de producir la bebida los fructanos se fermentan y dejan de tener los efectos benéficos.
Por el momento, el estudio está siendo evaluado para ser apoyado por la Secretaría de Salud y aplicarlo nuevamente en sistema de ratas y si es posible también en pacientes con algunas de las enfermedades que, de acuerdo con la investigación, se pueden combatir.
Redacción, Plenilunia Sociedad Civil
Fundada en el año de 2004, Plenilunia es una Sociedad Civil cuyo objetivo es fomentar el bienestar y la salud integral de la mujer.
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Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
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Disability profiles supported in our website
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Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs, there may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
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