Scientists say that fiber found in sea kelp can stop our body from absorbing up to 75 percent of fat. But is it all too good to be true?
It's the dieter's dream food: The more you eat, the more you lose weight.
That's exactly what scientists at Britain's Newcastle University claim to have discovered. The secret they say is seaweed or, more specifically, a natural fiber called alginate found in some sea kelp.
In clinical tests it reduced fat absorption 75 percent. And researchers say it can be added to everyday foods.
"You can add it to almost anything. It doesn't taste or smell of anything, so you can add it to dairy products, yogurts, cheese. You can put it in biscuits, potentially the sky's the limit with what you can incorporate it in," said Prof. Jeff Pearson, Newcastle University.
Tests do show that the alginate is more effective than many over-the-counter weight-loss products, but health professionals say people shouldn't rely on a cure-all.
"It must be very tempting to, that means you can still eat the foods that you might really, really enjoy, or might not spend as much time and effort. Unfortunately we are made for exercise, we are not made to sit around," said personal trainer Harland Sinclair.
The bread isn't available to buy yet and with more trials needing to be done, it's unlikely to be on the shelves for at least five years. But in the lab at least there is the hope that they may just have found the secret weapon in the fight against obesity.
Alginates are already used in small amounts in some foods as thickeners and stabilizers.
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