PhD student Morten Georg Jensen and colleagues studied the effect on 98 overweight men and women. People in this study who drank an alginate beverage loss to more weight than study participants given a drink without algae.

People in this study who drank of seaweed fiber beverage lost an average of 1.7kg more than the control group.

In their investigation, researchers found brown allergy fibers produced a sense of fullness, which also supports past studies showing a fiber rich diet can help maintain a healthy weight.

Jensen said it may be the gel in seaweed fibers that help people eat less, leading to the extra weight loss seen in the study.

Algae can be found from several sources. For this study the researchers focused on fibers from brown seaweed for weight loss.

The study was conducted over 12 weeks and the participants consumed three seaweed fiber drinks a day, consumed before meals.

The study participants also followed an energy reduced diet. The control group was given a placebo drink.

Given increasing rates of obesity, novel approaches are needed to tackle rising rates of obesity that can help prevent disease and improve overall quality of life.

The study, conducted at the Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE), University of Copenhagen, shows fibers from seaweed, consumed before meals as a drink, may be a reasonable approach for people who find it difficult to lose weight. You might even consider trying Korean style seaweed soup.

From the December 15, 2011, Prepared Foods' Daily News.