THE WA-based Centre for Food and Genomic Medicine (CFGM) has declared lupins a new super food.
Specifically it sees a vibrant lupin industry playing a major role in attacking a burgeoning diabetic and obesity epidemic in Australia.
Last week CFGM manager Dr Carolyn Williams released a report on a four year research program which conclusively sanctions lupins as a scientifically proven health food source.
Dr Williams said plans already were underway to apply for Federal Government funding to form a Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) to expand research into so-called diabesity (diabetes and obesity) and promote lupin-based health foods.
She said a lupin-enriched diet reduced blood pressure, increased insulin-sensitivity and satiety (feeling of fullness), and reduced post-meal glucose levels and hunger hormone levels.
According to Dr Williams, diabesity is currently costing the Australian economy an estimated $58 billion a year.
"Within the next 10 to 15 years Federal and State budgets will be entirely consumed by the expanding cost of health care," she said.
CFGM diabesity facts reveal:
p An estimated 275 Australians develop diabetes every day and nearly 30 per cent are obese.
p 1.7 million cases have been diagnosed but up to half of all diabetics remain undiagnosed.
p Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in Australia and up to 60pc of cases can be prevented.
p In 2008 the Federal Government spent $58 billion on obesity-related health care and added obesity to its list of national health priorities.
Globally, scientists say the incidence of diabetes is expected to exceed 250 million people by 2025 resulting in 35 million heart attacks, 13 million strokes, six million episodes of renal failure, eight million instances of blindness or eye surgery, two million amputations and 62 million deaths.
That is a measure of the scale of the problem.
"We see close synergies between the proposed CRC and the WA lupin industry," Dr Williams said.
"Of course there is a lot of work to be done to engage farmers in growing lupins because we realise there has got to be a value for them.
"Farmers are aware of the rotational benefits of lupins but the biggest factor in increasing production is price.
"Logically a value-add industry would create demand for lupins and increase farmgate prices but right now it's a chicken and egg scenario, although there already are many positives.
"Supa IGA and Coles supermarkets now stock lupin-based foods with low carbs, high protein and low GI.
"Bodhi's Bakery in Fremantle makes high fibre lupin bread and in the future there is potential for a wide range of products from snack foods to dairy products to pizza bases.
"There is enormous potential to establish a global market for lupin-based foods.
"We have collaborations with China and have been very successful in strengthening our ties with China's universities and we have established international collaborations which are dependent on continued clinical trials and lupin studies.
"In clinical trials we have discovered positive health and medical benefits of lupin-enriched foods on weight reduction, blood glucose and insulin control and lowering blood pressure.
"Trials have been done involving lupin flour milled by Irwin Valley Milling, which also is active in developing export markets for valued-added food products containing lupins.
"With lupins having such high protein and high fibre qualities it could become a cheap food source for third world countries, with associated health benefits.
"Our focus is naturally on the medical side and we are excited at the results we have achieved so far.
"But now we need to expand the research and the clinical trials on a national scale and that's why we are seeking more funding to establish a CRC."
p CFGM Program Collaborators: University of Western Australia; Curtin University of Technology; Murdoch University; CSIRO Division of Plant Technology; Department of Agriculture and Food, WA; Department of Health, WA; Fremantle Hospital; Princess Margaret Hospital; Royal Perth Hospital; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital; Telethon Institute for Child Health; Western Australian Institute for Medical Research; Proteomics International.
In-kind Industry Partners: CBH; Irwin Valley Pty Ltd; Pulse Australia; Bodhi's Bakery; George Weston Foods; WA Department of Commerce.
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