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What's a thylakoid and how can it help you lose weight?

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By Kathleen Blanchard Sep 2 2014 - 9:55pm
Study shows thylakoids extracted from spinach help food cravings

There is something in spinach and other green leafy vegetables that could help us lose weight and reduce hunger and sugar cravings. The something is called a thylakoid and is shown in a long study to reduce hunger up to 95 percent. Read on to find out how researchers tested thylakoids for weight loss.

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Before you stop reading you should know it's easy to get this compound in your diet to reduce food cravings and aid weight loss. Thylakoids are merely compounds in spinach.

Spinach extract fights obesity

Results of a new and long study conducted by Lund University researchers showed spinach extract really does work for keeping us feeling fuller longer. What that means is fewer food cravings that are difficult if not impossible to ignore.

The news gets even better. Thylakoids in spinach and other green leaf vegetables also appear to stop sugar cravings.

The extract worked by releasing hormones that lead to satiety the study authors explained in addition to slowing down fat digestion.

How to get it

To lose weight with spinach extract you'll have to get it from a "green drink". You can't get thylakoids directly from spinach because the body can't digest them.

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To get the weight loss benefits spinach has to be crushed, filtrated and centrifuged to release the thylakoids from the plant's cells.

"Our analyses show that having a drink containing thylakoids before breakfast reduces cravings and keeps you feeling more satisfied all day", says Charlotte Erlanson-Albertsson, Professor of Medicine and Physiological Chemistry at Lund University where the study was conducted.

Erlanson-Albertsson also explains our digestive systems don't work like they used to.

"There is nothing incorrect with our digestive program, but it doesn't function effectively with the modern 'pre-chewed' meals. The thylakoids extend digestion, producing a feeling of satiety. This implies that we are capable to stick to the diet regime we are meant for without snacks and unnecessary foods like sweets, crisps and such."

The 5 gram shot of spinach extract taken each morning for the research reduced hunger by 95 percent and facilitated more weight loss (5 kg vs 3.5kg) compared to study participant's given a placebo.

Related:

Spinach eaters do have bigger muscles
Eat green and lose the weight
Three great spinach smoothie recipes

Updated 1/13/2016

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Comments

Veronica mcintosh wrote on May 30, 2015 - 11:28am
I need to lose weight can you help me please especially belly fat
Mariko Kuyama wrote on January 13, 2016 - 3:18am
I read your article about Thylakoid with great interest. My question is in regards to the availability of Thylakoids, where I reside, in Tokyo Japan. There is ony one website that publicizes it, only it costs 4980 yen, roughly 50 dollars for a two week powder supplement. I am wondering if I can order it directly from Sweden, for a more affordable price, and if Charlotte Erlanson-Albertsson, Professor of Medicine and Physiological Chemistry at Lund University where the study was conducted, would know of such availability. (Or would know of a cheaper price from a US online service?) I look forward to your reply and thank you in advance.
Kathleen Blanchard wrote on January 13, 2016 - 4:50pm
Hi Mariko: Thank you for your question. I honestly have no idea where to buy a powdered supplement other than to do an internet search. We also don't want to promote anything we don't know a lot about in terms of quality. Honestly, why not juice to get the benefits? I think buying spinach and other greens and drinking the juice would be a great, inexpensive, healthy way to get the benefits, as described by the researchers. What do you think? :)