A business idea from the backyard | James Joseph | TEDxTIST
Short Summary:
James Joseph's TEDx talk details his journey from a simple observation about jackfruit trees in his backyard to developing a clinically proven jackfruit flour as a blood sugar control solution for diabetics. He highlights the creation of a patented flour from sun-dried jackfruit, designed to replace rice or wheat flour in common Indian dishes without altering eating habits. Clinical trials demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing blood sugar levels, leading to its adoption as a medical nutrition therapy in India. The process involves sun-drying unripe jackfruit and milling it into flour. The talk also emphasizes the significant challenges and opposition faced during the development and market introduction of this innovative product.
Detailed Summary:
The talk is structured into several parts:
1. Introduction and the Problem: Joseph begins by introducing his project, which started with noticing the wasted jackfruit from his trees. He highlights the Chief Justice of India's observation about the need for Indian-based research on diabetes treatment, given India's large diabetic population. This sets the stage for his research focusing on the traditional Kerala practice of using unripe jackfruit as a rice substitute.
2. The Discovery and Initial Research: A priest's experience of hypoglycemia after replacing rice with jackfruit sparked Joseph's scientific investigation. This led to a journey from 2014 to 2020, culminating in a presentation at the American Diabetes Association's annual conference. This presentation showcased a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized-controlled trial demonstrating the flour's effectiveness in reducing blood sugar levels. The research was later published in Nutrition & Diabetes, a Nature group journal.
3. Challenges and Opposition: Joseph recounts the significant opposition he faced. He shares several anecdotes: a doctor initially supportive later faced criticism; another doctor, whose clinical trial showed positive results, was ridiculed; a false accusation of adding an anti-diabetic drug to the flour; and a legal challenge to halt the product's marketing. He quotes Mahatma Gandhi: “When you’re trying to do something different, first, they will ignore you, then they will laugh at you, then they will fight you, and then you win.” This section emphasizes the perseverance required to overcome obstacles in pursuing innovative solutions.
4. The Mechanism of Action and WHO Alignment: Joseph explains how the jackfruit flour's soluble fiber works within the body. It increases satiety, reduces fat and cholesterol absorption, and feeds the gut microbiome, improving gut health. This aligns with the WHO's recommendation to reduce calorie intake from rice and wheat while increasing vegetable and fruit consumption.
5. Conclusion and Call to Action: Joseph concludes by urging the audience to pursue innovative solutions for great causes, even in the face of adversity. He emphasizes that the benefits of such endeavors can last for generations. He stresses the importance of perseverance and the significance of positive signals (opposition) as indicators of being on the right track. The overall message is to pursue impactful projects, even if the path is long and challenging.