POTENTIALS OF BULUNG BONI AND BULUNG SANGU AS FUNCTIONAL FOOD FOR MELLITUS DIABETES

Diabetes mellitus is a health disorder characterized by relative and absolute insufficiency of insulin, causing widespread carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism abnormalities (Nogrady, 2002). Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease characterized by blood sugar levels above normal and is usually characterized by polyurea, polydipsia, polyphagia and weight loss despite increased appetite.

               For people with diabetes mellitus, controlling blood glucose levels in order to reach normal levels or close to normal conditions is very important to avoid further complications. Handling can be done with medical therapy and diet therapy. However, medical therapy sometimes cause undesirable effects and is only carried out if the maximum dietary regulation is not efficacious in controlling blood sugar. To anticipate these effects, a treatment system with diet therapy was developed.

               Dietary therapy in people with diabetes mellitus is generally based on 3-J rules, namely number, type and schedule. Patients with diabetes mellitus must get a diet with a measured number of calories, a type of diet that has the effect of lowering blood glucose (hypoglycemic) and presenting a programmed diet to avoid uncontrolled postprandial glucose load (Tjokroprawiro, 1996). Therefore, dietary ingredients that are hypoglycemic are certainly a good alternative choice for people with diabetes mellitus.

               Hypoglycemic properties of food is largely determined by the components contained in these foods, one of which is food fiber. The mechanism that can explain the hypoglycemic effect of food fiber is that food fiber can reduce the efficiency of carbohydrate absorption, thereby reducing insulin response, the work of the pancreas will be lighter and ultimately can improve the function of the pancreas in producing insulin. (Astawan and Wresdiyati, 2004)

               Seaweed is one of the aquatic products that has a variety of health benefits so it has the potential to be developed as functional food. In Bali there are several species of seaweed that are often consumed as vegetables or snacks, namely from the species Gracilaria sp. and Caulerpa sp. or better known as ​​Bulung Sangu and Bulung Boni. The Balinese often process these two types of seaweed as salad, vegetables or other preparations. Behind its distinctive taste, the potential is actually stored its very beneficial effect for health, which has not been known to the public. In the form of flour, bulung boni and bulung sangu have the potential to control the rate of increase in blood glucose. In vivo research in diabetic-induced mice showed that feeding bulung boni was able to reduce blood glucose levels by 51.63% (from 348 mg / dL to 168 mg / dL), whereas feeding of bulung sangu could reduce blood glucose by 35, 24% (from 328.05 mg / dL to 212.42 mg / dL). In this case, the feeding of bulung boni can reduce blood glucose levels better than bulung sangu. Observation of pancreatic histology also shows that feeding of bulung boni  and bulung sangu can help the process of pancreatic cell regeneration.

               Not only it can be consumed fresh, bulung sangu can also be applied to breakfast cereals (flakes). Flake is a fast-food breakfast cereal in the form of thin sheets, brownish yellow and is usually consumed with the addition of milk. Flakes are food products made from carbohydrate ingredients, usually from cereal groups. The main raw material commonly used in making flakes is corn, but now has developed an innovation in the processing of flakes where the main raw material can be substituted or fortified with other ingredients to enrich the nutritional value of flakes.

            The application of bulung sangu and corn in the process of making flakes can increase the mineral content and crude fiber of the flake. Flakes made using 30% of bulung sangu produce colors, aromas, flavors and textures that are preferred by panelists. In vivo testing of diabetic rats also showed that diabetic rats fed a flake feed containing 30% of bulung sangu were able to reduce blood glucose levels by 48.43%. This is probably caused by the presence of fiber in bulung sangu which has a positive effect on reducing blood sugar. Seeing the great benefits of bulung boni and bulung sangu, both types of local food are very prospective to be developed as functional foods, especially for dietary therapy for diabetics. The biggest challenge in developing bulung boni and bulung sangu as functional food is in terms of diversification of processed products. Creativity in processing seaweed is very necessary, in the fresh form, bulung boni and bulung sangu have a rather fishy aroma and taste so that not all people like to consume both types of seaweed. Therefore it is necessary to develop appropriate processing technology to eliminate undesirable characteristics. Thus, the products produced will not only sensoryly accepted by the community but also provide beneficial physiological effects for health.