It's not the first time that tradition has taken its revenge on modernity. When we think of anti-aging superfoods, our mind immediately runs to exotic berries with unpronounceable names or supplements synthesized in some cutting-edge laboratory. Would you have imagined that the secret to fighting aging could be found in the residue of a fermented drink that has been on Philippine tables for centuries? It's called Tapuy, and it is a rice wine with intense aromas and a characteristic taste. Its processing waste seems to have a potential that modern science is only now beginning to appreciate. As mentioned, it is not the wine itself (and I feel sorry for those who had already started fantasizing about alcohol-based diets: no, that makes you age), but what would normally be thrown away: the “read“, the solid residues that remain after filtration.
When waste becomes treasure
It is fascinating how this traditional drink works. Tapuy is made by adding a kind of “starter culture” called Bubod (a disk composed of starch and beneficial microorganisms) to cooked glutinous rice. This triggers a fermentation that produces both wine and a solid byproduct, the famous lees of tapuy that I wrote about in the introduction.
Until yesterday, these residues ended up in the garbage. Today, thanks to researchers at theUniversity of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University, we know that these wastes are actually gold mines of polyphenols, compounds known for their ability to fight oxidative stress, inflammation and cellular damage: all key factors in the aging process. I'll link the study here, and in the meantime I continue.
And these are not marginal improvements. In tests conducted on nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans (small worms commonly used as a model to study aging), one of the lees of the tapuy increased the average lifespan of organisms by 72,72%. Seventy-two percent! It's as if we could suddenly live to be 140 instead of 80.
Tapuy Scraps, a Sustainable (and Affordable) Superfood
I really like the inherent sustainability of this discovery. It's not some rare ingredient that would only grow in microscopic quantities on the slopes of some remote mountain. It's food waste, my friends: something that already exists and would normally be thrown away. Researchers have shown that by manipulating the microbial composition of bubod (the starter culture) with specific species such as Rhizopus oryzae, Mucor indicus e Saccharomyces cerevisiae (also the basis of common kitchen yeast), you can obtain a tapuy lees that is particularly rich in beneficial compounds.
Nematodes treated with this extract not only lived longer, but also showed better health and cellular function in later stages of life. They were more mobile, maintained reproductive capacity for a prolonged period, and possessed higher levels of superoxide dismutase, an enzyme essential for protecting cells from age-related deterioration.
Of course, human trials have not yet begun, but the results are extremely promising. What if it actually worked? A traditional Filipino food waste could become the basis for the next anti-aging supplement. It would be a beautiful revenge of traditional wisdom over modern science: or perhaps, more accurately, a perfect marriage of the two.
And you, would you be ready to include tapuy lees in your daily diet? Let us know on Futuro Prossimo's social media channels.
