The dietary fibers inulin (or fructan) and beta-glucan are two of the most common types of naturally occurring prebiotics, which are non-digestible substances that stimulate the growth and/or activity of beneficial microorganisms like probiotics in your digestive tract.
But these fibers also act as fermentable carbohydrates, which means they’re broken down (or fermented) in your colon, where research suggests they may play an important role in appetite regulation and even body composition.
Eating These Fermentable Carbohydrates for Eight Weeks Protected Against Weight Gain
“Different fermentable carbohydrates have been shown to reduce obesity,” researchers recently wrote in PLOS One.[i] Their eight-week study showed that mice fed a high-fat diet with or without inulin or beta-glucan fermentable carbohydrates experienced significant benefits, including:
- Significantly lower cumulative body weight gain compared with high-fat controls
- An increase in the numbers of beneficial bacteria, including Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus–Enterococcus
- For beta-glucan, suppression of neuronal activity in the hypothalamic appetite centers of the brain, which suggest it induced a satiated state
- For inulin, significantly less total body fat
“Although both fermentable carbohydrates are protective against increased body weight gain, the lower body fat content induced by inulin may be metabolically advantageous. β-glucan appears to suppress neuronal activity in the hypothalamic appetite centers. Differential effects of fermentable carbohydrates open new possibilities for nutritionally targeting appetite regulation and body composition,” the researchers concluded.
As for what makes fermentable carbohydrates so effective at controlling appetite, it’s thought that the fermentation forms short-chain fatty acids, which produce more appetite-controlling hormones in your body.[ii]
As a bonus, along with acting as prebiotics, because fermentable carbs break down slowly they may also help to keep your blood sugar levels steady while supporting healthy digestion.
So What Should You Eat More of for Appetite Control?
The two fermentable carbohydrates highlighted by the study — inulin and beta-glucan — can be found in many fruits, whole grains and vegetables (and if you like the idea of eating more to lose weight, here are 10 additional foods to eat more of to lose weight). Top sources of these fermentable carbohydrates to include regularly in your diet are:
- Asparagus
- Garlic
- Leeks
- Onion
- Jerusalem artichokes
- Jicama root
- Mushrooms
- Bananas
- Cereal grains (oats, barley, rye)
- Baker’s yeast
The Ultimate in Appetite Control
Fermentable carbohydrates are excellent to add to your meals for appetite control, but so are natural ingredients like L-Tyrosine, DHEA and chromium, which not only help suppress your appetite but also boost your body’s natural production of human growth hormone (HGH) for increased fat burning.
It’s virtually impossible to get just the right combination via your diet, which is why ThinMist, our wonderful weight loss spray, includes these critical minerals, amino acids and natural, bio-identical hormones that work synergistically in one single package.
The best part about it is it only takes a few spritzes under your tongue before a meal to calm your raging appetite, banish cravings and rev up your metabolism for the ultimate in weight loss success.
