Taylor
& Francis
A
new study found in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition examines
how consuming the concentrated extract of thylakoids found in spinach can
reduce hunger and cravings.
Thylakoids encourage the release of satiety
hormones, which is very beneficial in slowing down fat digestion.
The article
"Acute Effects of a Spinach Extract Rich in Thylakoids on Satiety: A
Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial" is an Open Access article available
from the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, the official
publication of the American College of Nutrition.
The
study examines the effect of consuming a single dose of concentrated extract of
thylakoids from spinach on satiety, food intake, lipids, and glucose compared
to a placebo. Sixty people (30 males and 30 females) classified as overweight
or obese took part in a double-blind randomized crossover study.
The
results showed that the spinach extract containing thylakoids increased satiety
over a two-hour period compared to a placebo. There were no differences in
plasma lipids and energy intake at dinner, but males showed a trend toward
decreased energy intake.
Thylakoid consumption may influence gender-specific
food cravings -- in a previous study, it was found that in women, a reduced
urge for sweets was significant after a single dose of the spinach extract and
the reduced urge for sweets was sustained throughout the study.
Article
co-author, Frank L. Greenway MD, summarizes: "The reduction in hunger and
the desire for salty food that we saw in this study might make thylakoids
particularly useful for people with high blood pressure and associated weight
problems."