12 foods and ingredients that may help weight management

Satiety, lean protein, low carb and fat burning are four buzzwords that are commonly associated with weight management. In the November issue of Food Technology magazine published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), Contributing Editor Linda Milo Ohr writes about 12 foods and ingredients that are tipping the scales towards better health.

• Dairy Protein: Diets high in protein, specifically dairy protein can have a satiating effect, helping consumers feel full for longer periods of time. A pilot study conducted by Fronterra North America found that females who supplemented their regular diet with an additional 20 grams of protein at both breakfast and lunch over a three-week period lost two inches from their waist.
• Rice Protein: A recent study indicated that rice protein helped recovery time after exercise and improved body composition and exercise performance (Nutrition Journal, Joy et al, 2013).
• Dietary Fiber: Using a double-blind, randomized cross-over design, researchers from Iowa State University found that an emerging fiber, soluble fiber dextrin, may help promote satiety from three to eight and a half hours after consumption.
• Raisins: A recent study showed that consuming raisins as an after school snack compared to potato chips or cookies in children 8-11 years-old led to a lower cumulative food intake (Journal of Food Science, Patel et al, 2013).
• Almonds: Consuming almonds as a snack has shown to reduce hunger and the desire to eat during non-meal times, and also helped study subjects meet the recommended dietary intake of vitamin E without affecting body weight (European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Tan and Mattes, 2013).
• Korean Pine Nut: After eating Korean pine nuts in the form of oil or other extracts, the release of the satiety hormone cholecystokinin was significantly increased in the blood of test subjects. In a separate study, participants showed a reduction in food and caloric intake (Stepan Lipid Nutrition).
• Potato Protein Extract: Potato protein extract in weight management bars has shown to help people feel full sooner and longer (Kemin, 2012).
• Saffron: An ingredient derived from saffron showed a satiety effect that contributed to body weight loss in a study with 60 mildly overweight female subjects. The average snacking frequency decreased and level of the neurotransmitter serotonin improved (Nutrition Research Journal, Gout et al, 2010).
• Conjugated Linoleic Acid: A new ingredient, tonalin, derived from safflower oil has shown to decrease the amount of fast the body stores after eating, increase the rate of fat breakdown, increase the rate of fat metabolism, and decrease the total number of fat cells (NASF Nutrition and Health).
• Coffee Bean Extract: An ingredient developed from the decaffeinated green coffee bean may help increase the rate of fat release from fatty tissue. A recent clinical study followed 50 people ages 19 to 75 over 60 days and found that those who consumed the coffee bean extract lost an average of nearly six percent of their body weight and increased their lean muscle mass (Naturex, 2013).
• Canola Oil: Research presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism 2013 scientific sessions showed that canola oils can lower abdominal fat when used in place of other selected oil blends in a heart-healthy diet for weight maintenance (CanolaInfo, 2013).
• Polyphenols: Polyphenols from blueberries and green tea have shown to have a prolonged spike in metabolism after people exercised and often while they slept (Nieman et al, 2013).