Spinach extract can reduce hunger

Protect from overweight with spinach extract

03/11/2014

Swedish researchers have discovered an ingredient in spinach that slows down hunger and creates a sense of satiety. Thus, the so-called thylakoids could help against obesity by slowing down the digestion of fat, so that the whole intestine is involved in digestion. This in turn releases satiety hormones.

Thylakoids in spinach increase satiety
Professor Charlotte Erlanson-Albertsson from Lund University in Sweden wanted to explore how to slow digestion and prevent food cravings. A slower digestion gives the intestine time to activate. Because often the intestine is quasi „unemployed“, explains Erlanson-Albertsson. But then less saturation hormones are sent out so that people continue to eat. Often cravings are a consequence. The professor of appetite regulation was made aware by her husband, whose field is the photosynthesis, on the thylakoids, which are included in spinach, among others. They are said to slow down digestion.

Erlanson-Albertsson then carried out an experiment with 15 subjects who had to drink the substance diluted daily with water. A control group only got water. As the participants in the first group subsequently reported, they found it easier to restrict themselves to three meals a day. „They felt less hungry and had less cravings during the day“, the university reports in a communication. „The thylakoid group also had more satiety hormones in the blood and a more stable blood sugar level.“

Nevertheless, it is not enough to eat spinach to prevent food cravings, stresses Erlanson-Albertsson. The human body is unable to separate the thylakoids from the plant cells. You would have to rather „shredded, filtered and thrown out, "the university said.

The expert believes, however, that the potent action of thylakoids can not be attributed to just one drug. „They contain hundreds of substances - galactolipids, proteins, vitamins A, E, K, antioxidants, beta-carotene, lutein, etc., "reports Erlanson-Albertsson.

Number of overweight Germans increases
In Germany, the number of overweight people continues to rise, as shown by the Nutrition Report 2013 of the German Nutrition Society (DGE). Overweight and obesity (very strong overweight) have long become a common disease. Thus, men with normal weight form a minority from mid-30. For women, this is the case from the age of 55 to 60 years. According to the DGE, 67 percent of men and 53 percent of women are overweight. 23 percent of men and 24 percent of women even suffer from obesity.

Obesity is particularly problematic, especially because of the sequelae. Thus, obesity is associated with diabetes, high blood pressure, joint disease, cardiovascular problems and cancer. Mostly a wrong diet and lack of exercise as well as a genetic predisposition cause overweight. (Ag)