Anthocyanidins

10 heavyweights for weight management #4
By Bill Sardi June 22, 2010

Anthocyanidins: These are found in grape seed, cinnamon, purple corn, berries and cherries, as well as other fruits and vegetables and are all iron-controlling molecules that inhibit the formation of fat within fat cells as well as have a great potential for the prevention of diabesity.14
It is not surprising to find that whole fruit powder from strawberries and blueberries had no effect upon weight gain, body weight or body fat when consumed with a low-fat diet, but consumption of purified anthocyanin extracts from strawberries and blueberries produced 13-34 per cent less body-weight gain in animals. The fruit extracts contain higher amounts of anthocyanins and less fruit sugar.15

While the weight-loss drug orlistat inhibits lipase, the fat-breakdown enzyme, so does grape seed extract, which may prove to be a safe weight-control agent. Overproduction of lipase reduces HDL cholesterol. Higher lipase activity is associated with greater abdominal fat and greater body mass.16

References
14. Haugaard SB, et al. Dietary intervention increases n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in skeletal muscle membrane phospholipids of obese subjects. Implications for insulin sensitivity. J Endocrinol 2006;64:169-78. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16430716
15. Pouwer F, et al. Fat food for a bad mood. Diabetic Med 2005;22:1465-75. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16241908
16. Tsuda T. Regulation of adipocyte function by anthocyaninins: possibility of preventing the metabolic syndrome. J Agric Food Chem 2008;56:642-6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18211021