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Green algae might slow down the formation of cataracts in people with
diabetes, according to researchers in Japan. Shinya Shibata of the Yakult
Central Institute for Microbiological Research and Nguyen van Chuyen of Japan’s
Women’s University in Tokyo fed diabetic rats a diet rich in Chlorella algae for
11 weeks. Chlorella contain the antioxidant carotenoid pigments lutein and
zeaxanthin. Shibata found that diabetic rats fed on the high-alga diet showed
fewer signs of developing cataracts than those on a standard diet. “The
antioxidative activities of Chlorella might contribute to the inhibition of the
development of cataracts,” says Shibata.