White Bean Extract For Weight Loss
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White Bean Extract is derived from kidney beans. This past year, a couple of studies have been done indicating White Bean Extract may be effective in blocking the absorption of carbohydrate. In this article, we look at what it is, how it works, and should you consider it.
WHAT IT IS:
White Bean Extract blocks the enzyme alpha Amylase. Alpha Amylase is the enzyme needed to break down Amylose. Amylose is a long chain starch – think complex carbohydrate. Amylose is in kidney beans, rice and lentils. Cereals are typically about 20 to 30% amylose. Peas 35%, potatoes 23%, oats 25%, wheat 25%. So in general, amylose is a long chain, complex carb found in grains and vegetables.
HOW IT WORKS:
In order to digest and break down amylose into glucose, the enzyme Alpha Amylase is needed. If you block this enzyme, in theory, the carbs pass through your digestive tract much as fiber and cellulose does, undigested.
THE RESEARCH:
2 studies this year are of note.
The first study is out of UCLA. It shows a significant weight reduction from the use of White Bean extract WHILE simultaneously on a high carb diet.
The study showed that consuming 1 gram of White Bean Extract twice for the subjects who consumed the MOST carbs resulted in 8.7 lbs of weight loss versus 1.7 pounds in the placebo group.
The second study was done earlier this year out of Italy. It also showed that after 30 days, subjects on a high carb diet lost significant weight over a placebo group also on a high carb diet not taking the White Bean extract.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
A caution here is to consider the type of carbs you are ingesting – grains, lentils, vegetables. These are some of the healthiest sources of carbohydrate. Many of these deliver essential nutrients.
While we don’t want to dismiss the potential of this supplement, I think it’s fair to say the wisdom of ingesting more lentils, grains and vegetables only to block the absorption of the carbohydrate in those foods is a little suspect. Many question remained unanswered such as the total deliver of nutrients within these foods.
We are about healthy fitness. That means we don’t sacrifice health for weight loss sake. While White Bean Extract may turn out to be a very effective tool, caution is the rule of thumb here and it may be wise to see what further studies show.
Reference:
A Dietary supplement containing standardized Phaseolus vulgaris extract influences body composition of overweight men and women.
Celleno L, Tolaini MV, D'Amore A, Perricone NV, Preuss HG.
Cosmetic Research Center, dell'Università Cattolica di Roma, Rome, Italy.
Blocking carbohydrate absorption and weight loss: a clinical trial using a proprietary fractionated white bean extract.
Udani J, Singh BB.
University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, USA.
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