Spinach extract decreases cravings and aids in weight loss.
Spinach remains a champion when it comes to nutritional organic vegetables.
Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, C, K, E, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, copper, calcium and potassium. It is also rich in fiber, phosphorus, zinc, protein, and choline.
Last, but not least it is a source of omega-3 fatty acids, niacin, pantothenic acid, and selenium.
New study explains how spinach extract decreases cravings and aids in weight loss.
A spinach extract containing green leaf membranes called thylakoids decreases hedonic hunger up to 95%, and increases weight loss efforts up to 43%. The study was conducted at the Lund University in Sweden, and was published in the journal Appetite.
According to research published in the journal Physiology & Behavior, hedonic hunger is human food consumption that is “driven by pleasure, not just the need for calories.”
The study shows that taking the spinach extract increases the body’s production of hormones that make you feel full, which leads to less hedonic hunger, better appetite control, healthier diets, and possibly more weight loss.
“Our analyses show that having a drink containing thylakoids before breakfast reduces cravings and keeps you feeling more satisfied all day,” explains Charlotte Erlanson-Albertsson, Professor of Medicine and Physiological Chemistry at Lund University.
The study participants included 38 overweight women, and ran for 3 months. Every morning before breakfast, participants were given a green drink. Half of the participants were given 5 grams of spinach extract, while the other half was given a placebo. The women were not told which group they were in — they were only given instructions to eat three well balanced meals a day and not to participate in any other diet.
“In the study, the control group lost an average of 3.5 kg while the group that was given thylakoids lost 5 kg. The thylakoid group also found that it was easier to stick to three meals a day — and they did not experience any cravings,” said Charlotte Erlanson-Albertsson.
The key is the feeling of satiety and the suppression of hedonic hunger, compared to homeostatic hunger, which deals with our daily nutrition needs. Processed foods are broken down so quickly, that satiety and suppression signals cannot keep up. The spinach extract slows down digestion, so that the intestinal hormones have time to communicate to the brain that you are satisfied.
“It is about making use of the time it takes to digest our food. There is nothing wrong with our digestive system, but it doesn’t work well with the modern ‘pre-chewed’ food. The thylakoids extend digestion, producing a feeling of satiety. This means that we are able to stick to the diet we are meant for without snacks and unnecessary foods like sweets, crisps and such,” says Charlotte Erlanson-Albertsson.
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REFERENCES:
1. “Body Weight Loss, Reduced Urge for Palatable Food and Increased Release of GLP-1 through Daily Supplementation with Green-plant Membranes for Three Months in Overweight Women.” Science Direct. Appetite, 01 Oct. 2014. Web. 03 Sept. 2014.
2. “Spinach Extract Decreases Cravings.” Lund University. Lund University, 01 Sept. 2014. Web. 03 Sept. 2014.
3. “Hedonic Hunger: A New Dimension of Appetite?” National Center for Biotechnology Information. Physiology & Behavior, 24 July 2007. Web. 03 Sept. 2014.
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