Fat Binding Diet Pills – Could They be You Secret Weight Loss Weapon?
Fat binders are an increasingly popular weight loss product these days, so dieters who are looking for an effective fat binding product can be spoiled for choice, but some products are better than others.
This can be a problem because, although many people may look at the relevant marketing spiel and like what they see, few dieters really understand exactly what a finder is or how it works.
That’s not good. Making the wrong choice can result in disillusionment, and some products can be expensive, so it makes sense for all prospective fat binder users to understand what results to expect and how these results will be achieved.
The Truth about Fat Binders
Most foods contain some level of fat, and the body requires a certain amount of fat each day so the presence of some fat in the diet is not an issue, but a lot of food choices contain unhealthy amounts of fat and too much fat in the diet can lead to weight gain, high cholesterol, and ill health. And the problem is not just limited to fast foods such are burgers and fries. Some common fridge items, such as cheese and butter, can also provide unhealthy doses of fat—mayonnaise is around 75% fat.
Often called fat blockers, fat binders have the ability to severely limit the amount of damage caused by such fatty food choices. Most fat binders are produced in easy-to-swallow capsule form, so they are easy to fit in a pocket or handbag and carry around for use throughout the day. In general they are used up to three times a day and are taken up to half an hour before each main meal.
Once inside the stomach the capsule casing breaks down and releases the fat binding ingredient(s) which remain in the stomach for some time and are still present when the food arrives. Food contains many different forms of nutrient including proteins, carbohydrates, and essential vitamins and minerals.
These are digested in the normal way, but a high percentage (typically around 30%) of the food’s fat content becomes trapped by the fat binder (which cannot be digested) and is then carried out of the body along with the binding agent and excreted with the stool.
Why Fat is Bad for You
Obesity poses many health risks so it is never desirable to become overweight and, contrary to the popular saying, big is seldom seen as being beautiful. High blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes are just a few of the dangers faced by anyone who allows their weight to spiral out of control.
Fat is a high calorie food. Just one gram of fat can provide the body with nine calories. One gram of protein or carbohydrate provides less than half this amount, so a little fatty food can go a long way when it comes to fulfilling the body’s daily calorie requirements, and a lot of fatty food, consumed on a regular basis, can be deadly. One in 11 deaths in the UK can be linked to obesity and a study conducted by the University of Oxford’s Department of Public Health and the National Obesity Observatory reveals a ‘dramatic rise’ in obesity related deaths.
Fat Binder Choices
The most famous fat binder is probably the drug orlistat (usually sold under the brand name Xenical). Doctors often prescribe it as a treatment for extreme cases of obesity, but seldom write a Xenical prescription for anyone who has a body mass index (BMI) of less than 30.
The fact that Xenical is the go-to fat binder choice of doctors offers a good indication of how effective the drug can be, but its prescription-only status means Xenical is not a weight loss option most people will be able to take advantage of. Fortunately other options are available. Some of them are very good and can match, maybe even better, Xenical’s performance.
Most commercially available fat binders rely on one of two main ingredients:
- Opunita ficus incida(prickly pear). A plant derivative containing a soluble fiber that traps fat molecules and makes them too large to be digested. Many tests show the ingredient to be an effective fat binder. After one study, conducted in 2009, the researchers concluded it ‘significantly increased fecal fat excretion, helped reduce BMI and increased feeling of satiety.’
- Chitosan: Two forms of chitosan are used in fat binding products. One form contains a compound called chitin (extracted from the shells of deep sea crustaceans) the other is manufactured from a species of fungus (aspergillus niger). Tests have failed to prove the effectiveness of the chitin version, but the fungus form has been proved to outperform other fat binding ingredients by 33%.
How to Choose a Fat Binder that Works
Several considerations are important when looking for a fat binder:
- Manufacturer reputation/experience/credibility
- Should contain only natural ingredients
- Ingredient purity (blend should not be diluted with unnecessary chemical or fillers)
- Clinical evidence should be available to support any claims made
- Customer feedback should be good (if available)
Recommended Fat Binder
We recommended Proactol XS, a natural fat binder that is now available to buy direct from its own official website without prescription.
Proactol has been around since 2008 and is arguably the best selling of its kind anywhere in the world. It complies to all guidelines and it full certified as a Type II Medical Device