Get friendly with fat: olive oil curbs hunger

Dieters everywhere seem to gravitate toward foods with labels like "reduced fat," "fat free" or "light."

And while holistic nutritionists have long said that healthy fats can actually satiate appetite longer than many fat-free products with empty — albeit fewer — calories, it seems science is beginning to catch up.

Study finds natural oils promote feeling of fullness

Researchers at Technische Universität München (TUM) studied several different fats and oils, feeding participants 500 grams of either lard, butterfat, rapeseed oil or olive oil in yogurt every day for three months. The fats were supplemental to the participants' regular diets.

None of the participants who received the olive oil every day gained weight or saw an increase in body fat percentage. Not only that, but they showed higher levels of satiety hormones in their blood.

"Olive oil had the biggest satiety effect," said Prof. Peter Schieberle, Head of the TUM Chair of Food Chemistry and Director of the German Research Center for Food Chemistry. "Subjectively speaking, these participants also reported that they found the olive oil yogurt very filling."

All in the aroma

The satiety effects of olive oil appeared to be related to the aroma the oil produces. Smells are capable of promoting fullness on their own, the researchers noted.

In a second part of the study, participants who received yogurt with olive oil aroma extracts ate about 176 less calories than a control group that was given plain yogurt.

"Our findings show that aroma is capable of regulating satiety," said Schieberle. "We hope that this work will pave the way for the development of more effective reduced-fat food products that are nonetheless satiating."

Source: Science Daily