Spinach extract, also known by its trademark name Appethyl, is believed to suppress hunger and fight obesity.
Spinach extract is a powder which is made up of the thylakoids of the spinach leaves. Thylakoids play an important role in photosynthesis because they absorb and harvest the sun’s rays which provides the plant with enough energy to produce carbs. Thylakoids are found in all green plants where photosynthesis occurs and the term ‘spinach extract’ could work as a blanket term for all powders made from thylakoids.
Thylakoids are made up of proteins, antioxidants, and chlorophyll – which together make up 70% of the thylakoids – and the remaining 30% is mostly fat. Thylakoids are being extracted from the spinach leaf for human consumption because they are believed to delay the absorption of fats in the body when consumed. More specifically, thylakoids suppress the enzyme lipase which is the enzyme responsible for fat absorption.
Hormones like glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and other appetite reducing hormones increase while the hunger hormone (ghrelin) decreases when fat absorption slows down. In theory, this should result in individuals feeling full for longer which would result in the individuals being less likely to snack on sugary, salty, or processed snacks. These snacks are very high in calories and lack vital nutrients which result in the individual gaining weight. By avoiding these snacks and eating nutrient-dense foods, individuals should be able to lose excess fat.
Spinach extract has been used in numerous studies in order to evaluate its effectiveness for weight loss. It is available in powder form which can be added to shakes and smoothies, capsule form, and as a snack bar.
One study was performed on a group of overweight women where 19 women consumed 5 grams of spinach extract in the morning before they ate breakfast and 19 women were given a placebo at the same time of the day. All of the women had to stick to this routine and introduce running as their exercise for 3 months. The diet rules were simple: the women had to stick to 3 balanced meals per day. They were not given any further instruction because it may have interfered with the experiment.
“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. Dr Charlotte Erlanson-Albertsson’s case study proves that drinking spinach extract before breakfast reduces cravings and unnecessary snacking, which promotes weight-loss.
Cravings for foods which are not a result of hunger is known as hedonic hunger. It is this hedonic hunger which has many people around the world reaching for easily accessible unhealthy snacks and it is the reason obesity is ever on the rise. It is important to curb these hunger cravings by ensuring stable blood sugar levels through a healthy and balanced diet and to promote daily exercise in order to bring down the obesity rate around the world.