Limiting food intake is a key concept of weight loss. Most people also have a difficult time with this. Dieting, along with the stresses of daily life negatively affect weight loss. This is why it is important to use every possible method to make it easier.
Recent scientific study, conducted at the University of Connecticut suggests that a combination of raisins and moderate exercise may be useful in supporting healthy weight . The study suggests that raisins, because of their carbohydrate content, have a positive effect on a key hormone leptin, which signals fullness.
It appears that raisins do have this ability. The study discusses that eating a cup of raisins, and exercising more, alters levels of leptin in the blood. This hormone is a key indication to the brain that enough food was consumed. Additionally, this combination may lower the risks for Cardio Vascular Disease, because some key risks, such as cholesterol are reduced.
The sugar content of raisins, it is suggested by the authors, has this effect on leptin. The carbohydrate content of 1 cup of raisins is about 72 g.
We wrote previously that energy balance is a key concept to master for successful dieting. The body has to either use the energy right away or store it as energy reserves. That storage causes us to gain weight. However, as fat cells process the sugar in the blood, a neat thing happens. They start to signal the brain to issue the command to stop eating.
Blood carries this hormone to the hypothalamus within the brain. The more fat we have, the stronger the signal becomes to stop eating. At some point the brain “gets it” and tells us that we are full.
The combination of raisins with a moderate amount of exercise seems to accomplish two things at the same time: it helps to control appetite to reduce the amount of calories eaten, and helps to increase the burn of the stored energy (fat).
Bibliography: Puglisi, M.J., Mutungi, G., et al., Raisins and Walking alter Appetite Hormones and Plasma Lipids by Modifications in Lipoprotein Metabolism and Up-Regulation of the Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor., Metabolism Clinical and Experimental 58 (2009) p. 120-128.
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