British scientists have developed a food additive that they say makes people feel fuller when they eat, Fox News reported Dec. 11. Called inulin-propionate ester (IPE), the additive includes a chemical released naturally by gut microbes when fiber is processed, sending a satiety message to the brain. “Molecules like propionate stimulate the release of gut hormones that control appetite, but you need to eat huge amounts of fiber to achieve a strong effect. We wanted to find a more efficient way to deliver propionate to the gut,” said Gary Frost, study author and professor in the department of medicine at Imperial College London. A 24-week study found that subjects given IPE at 14 percent less than a group that ate regular fiber, gained no weight, and had less abdominal and liver fat than the control group. The IPE group also suffered no apparent side-effects. The next stage of research will test consumption of foods made with IPE. The findings were published in the journal Gut.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 19:06:42 +0000
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