Many of us may be struggling to keep ourselves from snacking. A snack once in a while can quickly add up to a number of calories and this in turn lead to obesity. The solution for this might be out in the near future – the gellan gum drink. Researchers from School of Chemical Engineering at Birmingham University are hoping to come up with a diet drink which is supposed to make you feel full, and keep you from overeating.
What is a Gellan Gum?
Gellan gum is a food additive which is used to give thickness to the food. It is used in sauces, soy milk and other food products. It is also calorie free. The researchers found out that if gellan gum is made into a liquid form and converted into drink, it can act as an appetite suppresant. Drinking it can give a feeling of fulness and can keep people from overeating.
How Can Gellan Gum Prevent Obesity?
It was found that once the gellan gum enters the stomach, it converts itself into a gel. The gel keeps the stomach full and curbs the hunger. The gellan gum is also digested over a period of 6 hours. As gellan gum gives a feeling of fulness, it can curb the hunger, reduce the appetite and discourage people from snacking.
Researchers are working to enable gellan gum release energy slowly once as it is digested by our body. This process can simulate the digestion of real foods.
It might take a while for the gellan gum drink to be released. But, when it is out in the market, it can help in reducing appetite and can play a role in overcoming obesity.
