Diet product comprising alginate

#The present invention relates to a composition for regulating the metabolism in humans or animals. Particularly, the invention relates to a diet product which can be used to induce loss of weight in persons in need thereof, a method for regulating food consumption, a method for regulating the diet product consumption as well as methods for regulating the levels of blood sugar or cholesterol in humans or animals.

#Many good dietary advices exists but experience shows that it is not an easy matter to get people consuming more soluble dietary fibres even though it has long been realized, that this is beneficial to health, especially if one suffers from diabetes or obesity.

#For regulating food consumption different dietary fibres are commonly used. Dietary fibres are grouped into 2 types: soluble and insoluble fibres. The insoluble dietary fibres are present in coarse bread and starchy vegetables. Examples of insoluble fibres comprise cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and pectin. The soluble fibres are present in fruit and vegetables. Examples of soluble fibres comprise guar, dextran, alginate, starch, amylose, amylopectin, xanthan, pullulan, carrageenan and gellan.

#The invention relates in one aspect to a diet product comprising an alginate in an aqueous dissolved or swelled form at a pH value causing the alginate not to gel.

#Alginate is soluble in water and is activated by acid causing the diet product of low viscosity to become a thick gel in the stomach due to the low pH value present here. The activation of alginate by acid is of importance as it causes the fibres to have effect in the stomach and fills the stomach like a balloon. Furthermore, it is likely that the gel formed has an active function in detaining fats, thereby inhibiting their uptake in the stomach or bowels. By these means some food constituents, incl. fats, can pass undigested.

#Passage through the stomach and bowels is regulated by the dietary product of the invention as a prolonged time of passage of consumed foods is observed after intake of the dietary product.