Preventing Blood Sugar Spikes with the "Golden Ratio of Mixed Grains"... Rural Development Administration Registers Patent for "Optimal Ratio"

Selection of Outstanding Domestic Grain Varieties and Discovery of Optimal Efficacy Ratio
Animal Trials Show 22% Reduction in Fasting Blood Glucose, 20% Drop in Systolic Blood Pressure
Stable Sales Channels and Supply of High-Quality Domestic Ingredients... Expansion of “Win-Win Cooperation Model”

The Rural Development Administration has secured scientific evidence for the optimal mixed grain ratio that can maximize anti-diabetic and anti-hypertensive effects. To increase the consumption of domestically produced grains and accelerate related industrialization, the Rural Development Administration plans to expand its win-win cooperation model by providing farmers with stable sales channels and supplying food companies with high-quality domestic ingredients.

On July 8, the Rural Development Administration announced that it had scientifically verified the health value of domestic grains, which were recorded as “yakgok” (medicinal grains) for disease control in the Donguibogam, and completed a patent registration for the golden mixing ratio that can maximize anti-diabetic and anti-hypertensive effects.

Kim Byungseok, Director of the National Institute of Crop Science at the Rural Development Administration, is giving a briefing on the optimal mixed grain ratio that can maximize the anti-diabetic and antihypertensive effects at the Government Complex Sejong on the 8th. Rural Development Administration

Kim Byungseok, Director of the National Institute of Crop Science at the Rural Development Administration, stated, “With the rapid growth of the medical food and senior-friendly food markets amid an explosive increase in the elderly population and those with chronic diseases, the results of this study are being highlighted as a new growth engine that will elevate the industrial value of domestic grains.” He added, “Since 2019, through joint research, the Rural Development Administration has selected domestic grain varieties with excellent anti-diabetic and anti-hypertensive activity and established the optimal mixing ratio to maximize their efficacy.”

The optimal mixing ratio identified by the Rural Development Administration for anti-diabetic effects is as follows: oat 30%, sorghum 30%, foxtail millet 15%, red bean 15%, and millet 10%. For anti-hypertensive effects, the optimal mixing ratio is: foxtail millet 30%, sorghum 35%, and red bean 35%.

First, the research team selected outstanding varieties such as ‘Daeyang’ oat, ‘Finger No. 1’ foxtail millet, ‘Sodamchal’ sorghum, ‘Arari’ red bean, and ‘Geumsilchal’ millet. Animal experiments using mixed grains with the optimal ratios confirmed improvements in blood sugar (22% reduction in fasting blood glucose) and blood pressure (20% reduction in systolic blood pressure).

Director Kim stated, “When cooking mixed grain rice at home, we basically recommend a ratio of 3 parts mixed grains to 7 parts rice. Although this study analyzed the effects of mixed grains excluding white rice, we believe that similar effects can be achieved by mixing with white rice, and we plan to conduct further research on this.”

Cultivation Status and Characteristics of Major Domestic Grains. Rural Development Administration

This research has produced commercial results, with ten cases of technology transfer completed to date. Through this, 15 types of processed products—such as medical-purpose foods (beverages), senior-friendly foods (frozen rice), mixed grains, meal powders, porridge, snacks, and rice cakes—have been released to the market.

According to an economic analysis by the Korea Agricultural Technology Promotion Agency, the development and dissemination of this technology is expected to generate a production inducement effect worth 9.1 billion won and create 147 jobs. In practice, Company A, which adopted the technology and launched a product, saw its related sales more than double compared to the previous year. Company B, which developed a convenience food, was selected for a support program by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and is actively pursuing follow-up commercialization, including preparations for entry into major supermarkets and online stores.

To increase the consumption of domestic grains and accelerate related industrialization, the Rural Development Administration plans to expand its win-win cooperation model by providing farmers with stable sales channels and supplying food companies with high-quality domestic ingredients. To this end, the agency is identifying optimal cultivation regions for each crop and conducting on-site validation studies, while also expanding contract farming production complexes in collaboration with technology transfer companies in places such as Hongseong (red beans) and Gangjin (oats). In addition, the administration has established organic cooperation systems by signing business agreements with major companies—including Daesang Wellife (2025), Cuchen and Nonghyup Grain (2025), Lotte Mart, and Cheonggru (2026)—to promote the consumption and expand the market for domestic grains.

Director Kim stated, “We will expand the development of high value-added materials using a variety of food crops, such as domestic mixed grains and functional red bean sprouts, and actively support the preemption of the health food market. We will continue to develop varieties that meet the needs of consumers and the industry, and strengthen the entire cycle cooperation system—from seeds to table—across production, processing, distribution, and consumption, to increase the added value of domestic food crops.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.