Written by Angeline De Leon, Staff Writer. After 90 days of caraway seed supplementation, a significant reduction in appetite, carbohydrate intake and anthropometric indices was seen in the 35 participating subjects compared to the control group.
The phenomenon of global obesity has become a modern epidemic, currently affecting human life across various social, cultural, age, and economic groups. In 2010, the International Obesity Taskforce report estimated around 1 billion overweight adults, nearly double the number of overweight individuals in 1980, with obesity rates continuing to climb yearly 1. Despite the development of advanced approaches in the treatment of obesity, effective long-term weight-management has remained a consistently difficult issue. As a result, many researchers are showing renewed interest in the use of botanical sources as an alternative weight loss therapy 2. Anti-obesity plants can induce weight loss through natural appetite-suppressing effects and the lowering of body mass index 3. In particular, the fruits of caraway (Carum carvi L. Apiaceae), a culinary spice in European and Middle Eastern cuisine, has been used in traditional therapies since antiquity 4. The spice functions as a stimulant and a digestive and appetite regulator, widely used for gastrointestinal conditions and the promotion of weight loss 5. Clinical studies indicate a regulatory effect of caraway on food intake, attributed to inherent phenolic compounds in the plant 6, with positive results for overall body composition in obese individuals 7. In a 2016 study published in Phytotherapy Research, the efficacy of a caraway-derived extract (caraway aqueous extract, CAE) was clinically studied in a group of overweight and obese women.
Participants in the triple-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical study consisted of 70 overweight and obese women who reported regular engagement in aerobic activity. Volunteers were randomized to receive 30 mL of either CAE or placebo daily for a period of 90 days, without changing diet or physical activity habits. At baseline and following the 90-day intervention period, caloric and macronutrient intake were estimated and anthropometric measurements were made (waist circumference, hip circumference, etc.). Changes in appetite were also assessed using the visual analogue scale method (VAS) and an ad libitum pizza test.
Results showed a significant reduction on all anthropometric parameters, including waist circumference, waist to hip ratio, thigh circumference, and mid-upper arm circumference (-6.2, -0.1, -5.4, and –2.2 cm, respectively) for the CAE group, as compared to placebo (p < 0.01). A significant decrease in appetite level (-1.0 on VAS, p < 0.01) and carbohydrate intake (-30 g, p < 0.01) was also detected in the CAE group vs. placebo. The average number of pizza slices consumed following the 90-day treatment period was shown to be significantly lower in the CAE group, relative to placebo (4.7 +/-1.0 vs. 3.9 +/-1.1, p < 0.01).
In sum, preliminary findings confirm the appetite-regulating activities of caraway extract. As a weight loss supplement, caraway oil/aqueous extract shows efficacy in reducing food cravings, particularly carbohydrate intake, which appears to promote improvement in body composition among overweight and obese individuals. Further studies are needed to investigate the biological mechanisms underlying the anti-obesity properties of CAE.
Source: Kazemipoor M, Hamzah S, Hajifaraji M. Slimming and appetite-suppressing effects of caraway aqueous extract as a natural therapy in physically active women. Phytotherapy Research. 2016. DOI: 10.1002/ptr.5603.
© 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Posted September 28, 2017.
Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.
References:
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- Kazemipoor M, Hajifaraji M, Haerian BS, Mosaddegh MH, Cordell GA. Antiobesity effect of caraway extract on overweight and obese women: a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2013;2013.
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