Researchers have developed tiny plant-based beads made from polyphenols that bind to fats in the digestive system. These edible beads can be added to tea and sweets to help people lose weight in a natural and less invasive way compared to traditional treatments. The beads, formed from polyphenols and vitamin E and coated with a natural polymer derived from seaweed, protect the beads in the acidic stomach environment and work by preventing fat absorption in the intestines. In tests on mice fed a high-fat diet, those given the beads lost 17% of their total body weight and showed reduced fat tissue and less liver damage compared to control groups. Unlike the weight loss drug orlistat, these beads did not cause gastrointestinal side effects. The research team at Sichuan University is now conducting clinical trials on humans in collaboration with West China Hospital.

This innovation represents a promising step towards safe and sustainable weight loss solutions.