A study reports that fermented black chokeberries (Aronia melanocarpa) have anti-obesity effects. The study, which was published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, suggests that fermented black chokeberries could potentially be used as a dietary supplement for preventing obesity.

• Black chokeberries are mainly grown in Central and Eastern European countries.
• They have high levels of polyphenolic compounds, which are responsible for their many health benefits.
• However, because of their bitter taste, their potential as a functional food is not maximized.
• For the study, researchers from South Korea reduced the bitter taste of black chokeberries by fermenting them.
• They looked at the effect of fermented black chokeberries with a reduced bitter taste on insulin sensitivity and weight gain induced by a high-fat diet in male mice.
• They fed the mice with a high-fat diet in combination with 100 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of natural black chokeberries or fermented black chokeberries for eight weeks.
• Results showed that the fermented black chokeberries reduced weight gain and weakened the increase in triglyceride level brought about by the high-fat diet.
• Mice fed with fermented black chokeberries also had better glucose tolerance and higher insulin sensitivity compared to mice fed with natural black chokeberries.

In conclusion, these findings suggest that fermented black chokeberries could be taken as a dietary supplement to prevent obesity.

To read more studies on preventing obesity with the right foods, visit FightObesity.news.

Journal Reference:

Kim NH, Jegal J, Kim YN, Chung DM, Heo JD, Rho JR, Yang MH, Jeong EJ. ANTIOBESITY EFFECT OF FERMENTED CHOKEBERRY EXTRACT IN HIGH-FAT DIET-INDUCED OBESE MICE. Journal of Medicinal Food. 21 November 2018; 21(11): 1113-1119. DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2017.4124