Wouldn't it be great if we could eat what we want without putting on weight? It's seen by many as the Holy Grail of dieting and if it were possible it could transform the lives of those struggling with obesity.
Well, it appears that scientists at Newcastle University are close to achieving just that, and they are doing it using seaweed. It has long been known that seaweed has many healthy properties but this research has the potential to allow us to control weight gain as we eat. Researchers identified specific natural seaweed fibres called alginates that prevent the body absorbing fat.
Alginates – chemicals from seaweed – are already used in foods, such as stabilisers in jam and to maintain the head on a pint of beer.
However, their potential as a food supplement which prevents the absorption of fat is now being investigated. New research has identified the chemical properties of alginates which prevent fat from being digested, allowing experts to produce a league table of the most effective seaweeds.If added to everyday foods these seaweeds could help curb the growing obesity problem.
Researchers investigated the ability of alginate to reduce fat break-down by a digestive enzyme, pancreatic lipase. Blocking the action of the enzyme results in lower amounts of fat being absorbed by the body.
Lead scientist Professor Jeff Pearson, from the University of Newcastle's Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, said: "We have already added alginate to bread and initial taste tests have been extremely encouraging. Now the next step is to carry out clinical trials to find out how effective they are when eaten as part of a normal diet."
The researchers found that alginates containing more of a sugar molecule called guluronate were best at blocking fat digestion. They compiled a list of the most promising seaweeds, including a brown sea kelp known as "tangle" or "cuvie", bladderwrack, and bull kelp.
Dr Matthew Wilcox, from Newcastle University, said: “The study shows that certain seaweeds can be used in the fight against obesity, in conjunction with a healthy diet and increase in exercise.” The five-year study builds on previous work by the team which found that alginate, a natural fibre found in sea kelp and one of the world’s largest commercially-used seaweeds, could reduce the amount of fat available for absorption by the body by around 75%.
This is better than most anti-obesity treatments currently available over the counter. Dr Wilcox says that the alginates he has discovered can be mixed with fatty foods. This could mean manufactures would be able to add the correct amount of alginates to make them healthier.This has all the makings of a super food which you can eat and eat without putting on an ounce.
The reality may not be as simplistic as that, but this bio-technology does have huge potential and could prove to be a game changer not only in the personal battle of the bulge but also in the shadow of an increasingly worrying obesity epidemic.
Sources: http://www.mirror.co.uk/, http://www.thejournal.co.uk/, http://www.itv.com/news/