Publicado em 24/10/2013

Elevated levels of endogenous AGEs are directly correlated to amount of AGEs consumed in the diet, providing evidence towards their role in health and disease. Fortunately, reducing exogenous AGEs can be achieved by the way food is prepared without altering its caloric content. In fact, reduction of dietary AGEs has been demonstrated to reduce serum levels of AGEs between 30-40%, improve insulin resistance, suppress tissue injury, as well as reduce inflammatory levels of TNF-α and C-reactive protein. This new evidence suggests that the way food is prepared may be viewed as a principal risk factor in progression of T2DM diabetes. AGEs are naturally present in food. However, in the presence of heat or thermal processing the formation of dAGEs is accelerated. Dry heat, such as using a microwave, impacts AGE formation differently than broiling (225°C), grilling, boiling (100°C), roasting (177°C), searing, oven frying (230°C), and deep-frying (180°C). On the other hand, lower cooking temperatures, shorter cooking times, and cooking with moist heat, as well as the use of lemon juice or vinegar-based marinades suppress the formation of AGEs. Equally important, the foods origin, type, and cooking method individually contribute to the formation of AGEs. Animal-derived foods are generally higher in AGEs than foods without animal origin. Likewise, foods in their raw and uncooked state have fewer AGEs than their cooked counterparts. Of importance, fruit, vegetable, and whole-grains contained the lowest amount of dAGEs, even after cooking. Albeit heat or thermal processing foods is necessary for food safety and to enhance flavor, it is important to understand that the consumption of dAGEs directly contributes, in various amounts, to the endogenous pool of AGEs.

Jared Durieux