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Microscopic cellulose fiber balls added to food have reduced the absorption of fats from that food in experiments. The fat absorption was almost halved in some cases by these ‘fat blockers’.
Fat Blocker
Achieving and/or maintaining a normal body weight can be achieved in many ways. However, for many, it seems to be a seemingly impossible task in this obesogenic world. A ‘fat blocker’ can be seen as the metabolic equivalent of a condom, a diet as abstinence, and a
fat burner as a poorly functioning penicillin shot. I therefore expect a great commercial success for the patent of the men of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and Harvard University in the US.
Why go to so much trouble to leave food or lose weight? Wouldn’t it be much easier if you didn’t have to suffer the consequences of excess food?
The researchers from the mentioned universities conducted various experiments with microscopic cellulose fiber balls that can be added to food. These nano-sized balls, one hundred times smaller than the thickness of a hair, were found to limit the absorption of fats from food.
In laboratory tests with a simulated gastrointestinal tract, the absorption of fats by these fiber balls was reduced by 48%. The researchers then proceeded with animal experiments. The small cellulose fibers were added to heavy cream fed to rats. The rats fed with this modified cream absorbed 36% less fat than the rats fed with unmodified cream.
Digestion of Dietary Fats
The nano fibers can bind to the triglycerides (fat molecules) in food and effectively hold onto them.
Normally, enzymes in the stomach break down triglycerides into fatty acids, which are absorbed in the small intestine. There, they are converted back into triglycerides and transported in the blood with the help of cholesterol. The fats can then be absorbed by various cells such as the liver, muscles, and fat cells as a source of energy.
By ‘catching’ the triglycerides in the nano cellulose fibers, it becomes more difficult for the enzymes and bile salts, which break down the triglycerides, to do their job. This reduces the amount of fatty acids that can be absorbed by the body.
Fibers 2.0
According to Professor Ng Kee Woei, their findings confirm the age-old wisdom that eating enough fiber is important for health. This effect would be enhanced by introducing the fibers on a nano scale.
We’ve known for a long time that fibre in the diet has positive health benefits but what we have shown now, is that in animal experiments, fibres at the nanoscale are much more effective at reducing fat absorption than in its bulk form.
In the experiments, 1mg of nano cellulose was added to 100mg of heavy cream. The professor believes that if more nano cellulose were added, a larger percentage of fats would be ‘caught’.
The mini fibers could be used as an addition to food or supplements that can help inhibit fat absorption in different people. After all, the concentration can be adjusted to the individual and the goal. The researchers now want to further investigate whether it is effective and safe for humans.
Cellulose
Cellulose is categorized by the American FDA as
GRAS, ‘Generally Regarded As Safe’. It is found in all plants. The nano-sized fibers can be easily produced by grinding cellulose into extremely fine powder.
In the study, three types of nano cellulose were compared with ‘commercially
available methods to limit fat’. What those are, I do not know, but all three types of nano cellulose performed better in holding onto fats. The researchers are particularly excited about the fact that the simple use of natural fibers on a nano scale leads to this effect. Without the use of chemicals.
I’m a believer that we should learn more from nature and use more nature-inspired and derived materials. There’s 4 billion years of free R&D there, and instead we always look toward chemicals.
Fat blocker is not a carb blocker
There is always uncertainty about the relative contribution of dietary fats and carbohydrates to overweight. Carbohydrates, specifically the form in which they end up in your blood,
glucose, can also be converted into body fat. If further research means that these ‘fat blockers’ will soon be on the shelves or added to food, then you must not forget one thing: They block (partially) the absorption of fats from your diet, not the fats you produce yourself from glucose.
References
- Glen M. DeLoid, Ikjot Singh Sohal, Laura R. Lorente, Ramon M. Molina, Georgios Pyrgiotakis, Ana Stevanovic, Ruojie Zhang, David Julian McClements, Nicholas K. Geitner, Douglas W. Bousfield, Kee Woei Ng, Say Chye Joachim Loo, David C. Bell, Joseph Brain, Philip Demokritou. Reducing Intestinal Digestion and Absorption of Fat Using a Nature-Derived Biopolymer: Interference of Triglyceride Hydrolysis by Nanocellulose. ACS Nano, 2018; 12 (7): 6469
- https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.8b03074
