Dietary Fiber Beads in Beverages for Sustained Hunger Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current weight loss solutions, such as herbal teas and beverages, often fail to provide significant and long-term weight reduction due to short-lived hunger suppression and lack of evidence supporting their efficacy.
Innovation Solution
A composition comprising a beverage with beads made of more than 50% dietary fibers, having an average diameter of 2-10 mm, and an energy content below 100 kJ/100g, which is designed for oral administration, allowing for chewing during drinking, providing a synergistic effect of stomach filling and mechanoreceptor activation for sustained hunger suppression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If herbal teas or beverages are consumed for weight loss, then hunger suppression is achieved temporarily, but the weight loss effect is not significant and not sustained over long periods
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the weight loss system into two functional components: a beverage for stomach filling and dietary fiber beads for sustained hunger suppression. The beads are segmented into small units (0.1-2 mm) that can be distributed throughout the beverage, allowing gradual release of dietary fiber effects over time rather than a single temporary effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines two different materials with complementary functions: a liquid beverage (water, tea, or other liquids) and solid dietary fiber beads. This composite system provides both immediate stomach filling from the beverage and sustained hunger suppression from the dietary fiber beads, achieving longer-lasting and more reliable weight loss effects than either component alone.
2Quantity of substance
If green tea is consumed to lose weight, then the stomach is filled, but the weight loss effect is attributed to filling rather than active ingredients
Solution Approach 1:
The invention separates the filling function (beverage) from the active weight loss mechanism (dietary fiber beads). The beads are divided into small segments that can be distributed throughout the beverage, ensuring both stomach filling and active ingredient delivery without relying solely on volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The dietary fiber beads act as an intermediary substance that bridges the gap between simple stomach filling and active weight loss. The beads provide bulk for filling while simultaneously releasing dietary fiber that actively suppresses hunger and promotes weight loss, converting the passive filling effect into an active weight loss mechanism.
3Duration of action of moving object
If beads are included in beverages for active ingredient release, then sustained release is achieved, but the concentration is too low (0.1 weight-%) to be effective
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the bead size parameter to between 0.1-2 mm, which balances two competing requirements: small enough to be distributed effectively and swallowed conveniently, but large enough to contain sufficient dietary fiber concentration (30-90%) to produce effective hunger suppression. This parameter optimization allows both sustained release and effective concentration.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite bead structure combining dietary fiber (30-90% concentration) with binding agents and coating materials. This composite formulation allows the beads to maintain high dietary fiber concentration while remaining stable in the beverage and releasing the fiber gradually over time, achieving both sustained release and effective concentration.
4Ease of operation
If beads with small diameter are used for convenient swallowing, then ease of consumption is improved, but the chewing effect on mechanoreceptors is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the bead diameter to a specific range (0.1-2 mm) that balances swallowing convenience with mechanoreceptor activation. Beads in this size range are small enough to be easily swallowed but large enough to provide adequate chewing stimulus to oral mechanoreceptors, achieving both ease of operation and reliable hunger suppression.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
Subject of the invention is a composition for oral administration comprising a beverage and beads distributed in the beverage, wherein the beads have an average diameter between 2 to 10 mm, comprise more than 50% (w/w) dietary fibres, and wherein the amount of beads in the composition is between 1 and 20 wt.%. The invention also relates to devices and uses of the composition for reducing the weight of an individual and/or preventing weight gain.