Latest news with #EasternPiedmont
Times
14-05-2025
- Health
- Times
Dark chocolate biscuits could aid weight loss, study suggests
When people are trying to lose weight, they are generally advised to put down the biscuit tin. But a small study has suggested dark chocolate biscuits could in fact help people slim down as the cocoa flavour promotes the release of hormones which make you feel full. Scientists at the University of Eastern Piedmont in Italy created a breakfast biscuit made with dark chocolate and added a bitter compound from the wormwood plant (Artemisia absinthium). During the trial, healthy participants ate the snacks for breakfast, then underwent blood tests to measure their hormone levels and also completed questionnaires on food cravings. Compared to a glucose drink containing the same amount of carbohydrates, people felt fuller after eating the biscuit, as well as experiencing an increase
Telegraph
14-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
The chocolate biscuit that could help you lose weight
Dark chocolate biscuits could aid weight loss, say scientists. Antioxidants in cocoa-rich dark chocolate may trigger the gut in a similar way to weight-loss injections, making people feel more full and less likely to overeat. Now scientists have invented a biscuit that adds to this by including an extra ingredient that works like Ozempic. The team from the University of Eastern Piedmont in Italy added a bitter compound from the Artemisia absinthium plant, otherwise known as common wormwood, to a normal dark chocolate biscuit. Early tests suggest people feel more full after eating it, see an increase in satiety hormones and potentially eat less afterwards. Experts said that even the normal biscuit appeared to have such an effect, which was then boosted by the bitter extract. The substance triggers one of the body's GLP [glucagon-like peptide] receptors, which is the target of weight-loss jabs like Wegovy and diabetes treatment Ozempic.
The Sun
14-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Chocolate biscuits could make you thinner as scientists bid to create sweet treat which works like fat jabs
CHOCOLATE biscuits could one day aid weight loss, according to scientists who are inventing snacks to make people feel full. Researchers say antioxidants in the cocoa used to make dark chocolate can trigger fullness hormones. They intensified the effects by creating a special cocoa biscuit then adding a bitter extract from the absinthe plant. A pilot group of 11 people ate the 85g biccie once a day in the morning. Results showed it appeared to stimulate the same hormones as weight-loss jabs, and participants reported being less hungry during the day. The researchers say a feeling of satiety will prevent people from snacking and over-eating. One of the hormones triggered is GLP-1, targeted by anti-fat jabs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro. Study author Dr Flavia Prodam, of the University of Eastern Piedmont in Italy, said: 'All the people who ate the biscuit reported lower hunger before dinner. 'It has already been reported that cocoa and dark chocolate have an effect on satiety and in this biscuit with the bitter compound that effect is even higher. I think the GLP-1 receptor could be affected specifically by the bitter compound but we need to investigate that part.' Dr Prodam and co-author Jessica Baima say their snack is 'very tasty' and would be easy to make commercially. They presented their findings at the European Congress on Obesity and plan to run a clinical trial to test the effect on overweight patients. Dr Prodam added: 'We need to educate people to eat less but there is a lot of failure. The emotional part of eating is important in obesity. People want comfort foods, so having one that decreases hunger could be a good strategy.' It comes after a University of Surrey study this week found that dark chocolate can lower blood pressure.
