howcaniloseweight
White bean extract
White Bean Extract Review
Does It Work For Weight Loss?
Beans are an essential part of any weight loss diet because they
are generally high in fiber and protein, making the fat burning
dynamos. Adding beans to your diet is a great way to reduce your
calorie count without feeling like you’re starving and most important
of all, they’re nutrient rich.
So with all the benefits of beans, using a white bean extract to lose weight seems like a pretty good idea, right? You can bypass the cooking process and coming up with unique and delicious ways to prepare them while still reaping the fat loss benefits.
But is white bean extract all it’s cracked up to be or another crackpot weight loss scam? Keep reading to find out.
What Is It?
White bean extract comes from kidney beans and is used as a natural weight loss ingredient. It is not a stimulant, but what is known as a starch blocker. The technical name for it is phaseolus vulgaris, which you might see on an ingredient list for weight loss supplements.
[This is how the process starts…]
What Does It Do?
White bean extract is called a starch or carb blocker because it delays the absorption and digestion of carbohydrates. It does this by blocking alpha amylase, an enzyme that is connected to the digestion of carbs in our intestines.
The idea is that white bean extract will work on refined sugars the same way your body processes whole grains and high fiber foods. The latter takes longer to digest so it satisfies our hunger making us full longer than if we were to consume these refined (simple) carbohydrates.
Additionally high fiber foods help regulate blood sugar and insulin, which fights cravings and prevents fat storage. White bean extract slows down the absorption and digestion rates so it should work the same way high fiber foods do.
Science
For the most part the science of the effectiveness of white bean extract for weight loss has been inconclusive at best. But in 2007 a research paper published in the International Journal of Medical Science revealed there might be some positive weight loss results.
The study was double-blind and placebo controlled, conducted on 60 slightly overweight subjects. The weight of all the subjects chosen was stable for a minimum of 6 months and all other factors were diverse.
The test group received an 800 milligram tablet that contained 445mg of the bean extract while on a carb rich diet of 2,000 to 2,200 calories each day. The test group did lose more weight than the placebo group in the 30 days. All other factors decreased as well, fat mass, waist, hip & thigh circumference and adipose tissue thickness.
One factor did increase for the test group, lean body mass. This one study has given hope to white bean extract manufacturers, looking to get the next big weight loss supplement.
Whole Beans Better
You’re probably thinking, why can’t I just eat whole beans rather than taking an extract, right?
[Adding whole beans to your diet is a much better fat loss plan.]
Well you are correct; despite the mildly promising results of the 2007 study it is almost always preferable to get your vitamins, nutrients and substances from whole foods. Beans are part of a well balanced diet for fat loss and weight loss, and in general are much cheaper than any bottle of pills could ever be.
White bean extract comes from kidney beans, but you can add a variety of beans to your diet including garbanzo beans, black beans, navy beans, pinto beans, lima beans and even soy beans (edamame). They are all high in fiber and protein so you can stay fuller longer.
Does It Work For Weight Loss
Despite what this study revealed, it is has not been proven over the long term that white bean extract alone can help you lose significant fat weight.
The test group also received dietary guidance from a nutritionist involved in the study, which could indicate that they adopted a diet conducive to fat loss and weight loss. The placebo group was not under the guidance of a nutritionist, which indicates that without changes in your diet, white bean extract is ineffective.
Another factor to consider is that in the above study featured other substances that have been promoted as having weight loss benefits such as chromium picolinate, otherwise known as chromium. Other vitamins were present that could have affected the outcome of the study.
Perhaps the biggest fact against using white bean extract for weight loss is that you could simply reduce (or eliminate) how many refined carbohydrates you consume. Instead of finding a supplement that can give you the same benefits as eating whole grains and high fiber foods, you could simply adopt a diet that includes more fibrous and nutrient dense foods such as fruits and vegetables.
Rather than taking white bean extract for fat loss, simply reduce your intake of refine carbs and eat more fiber based grains, fruits and vegetables and you have a better chance of losing the fat and the excess weight.