Pine Nut Extract News

Korean pine nut: appetite suppresant?

Posted: Sep 8th 2006 - by Kristi Anderson

There's new research out this week finding that an extract from the Korean pine nut could suppress the appetite and hopefully treat obesity. Though there was news of this earlier this year at the American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition in Atlanta, these particular new headlines are coming from Dr. Denise E. Bruner, a U.S. obesity expert.

Apparently, certain fatty acids found in Korean pine nuts can initiate the release of an appetite-suppressing hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1), two gastrointestinal hormones that are known to send "satiety signals" -- signals that the stomach is feeling full -- to the brain.

According to the research, 18 overweight women were given gel capsules containing either the pine nut oil or olive oil. The women took the capsules before eating a meal of carbohydrates. After taking the pine nut oil-containing capsules, the women reported a lower desire to eat and a desire to eat less food during their next meal than they did after consuming the olive oil supplements. (By the way, did you know that pine nuts are not nuts at all, but rather the edible seeds from pine trees?)

The natural suppressant industry is booming with a lot of questionable products, so I'm not putting a lot of faith in this news until there's more evidence. Even if it does work, I'm a firm believer in adhering to a healthy diet and exercise program and not relying on one thing as a cure-all. But given that we're all looking for the next big thing, I wouldn't be surprised if this news causes a surge in pine nut sales. Pesto, anyone?

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