Spinach: From Food to Supplement to Tackle Hunger, Cravings

In its traditional form, spinach is low-calorie and nutrient-packed, making it a suitable choice in a diet designed for weight loss or management.

However, new research has confirmed that spinach—in the form of a new supplement—can cut hunger and increase the feeling of fullness.

Appethyl, a new spinach-based supplement, increased the feeling of fullness in study participants after just one dose, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. It also decreased cravings for salt, an important development for people who are being treated for high blood pressure.

Appethyl is an all-natural spinach extract enriched for thylakoids, the cellular membranes in plants which are found in chloroplasts where photosynthesis takes place. Thylakoids work by slowing fat digestion, which in turn increases the body’s production of hormones that lead to a satisfied feeling. The extract is created through a specialized process that releases the active components in the spinach and renders them active when they’re eaten.

The supplement is more beneficial at curbing cravings than fresh spinach because Appethyl is active the moment it’s eaten. Spinach leaves must be digested before the full feeling occurs, thereby missing the window for hunger control.

In the study conducted at Louisiana State University’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center, 60 overweight and obese participants were provided either Appethyl or a placebo with a meal and were monitored. Researchers found that participants who took Appethyl felt more satisfied, had a reduced feeling of hunger for food, and had less desire for salty and savory foods.

“Appethyl has the ability to assist people in cutting their daily caloric intake," said Candida Rebello, R.D., one of the researchers on the study. “In 90 percent of adults, weight gain can be a consequence of overeating by just 100 calories a day. Appethyl can aid in preventing that weight gain by helping cut cravings and thereby the number of calories consumed."

INSIDER recently explored several natural ingredients that can aid weight loss or weight management. To read the latest research, and to gain insight on weight-loss theories, learn how to avoid regulatory trouble related to making claims, and get updates on the current state of the market, download the free Digital Issue, “Weight-ing for Change."