Could lacing food with fat-trapping microbeads help us lose weight?

image via New Scientist

August 21, 2025, 10:00 AM

• •Edible microbeads made of vitamin E and seaweed helped rats lose weight by absorbing excess fat in their guts.
• •The beads are made of food-grade ingredients, are designed to trap fat before it is absorbed by the body, and are then excreted.
• •After 30 days, rats lost about 17 percent of their body weight.
• •A clinical trial involving 26 people is already underway and the researchers foresee adding the flavourless beads to desserts and bubble teas.

Researchers have developed edible microbeads made from vitamin E, green tea compounds, and seaweed fiber to combat obesity by trapping fat in the gut before it is absorbed. In a study, rats fed a high-fat diet and the microbeads lost an average of 17% of their body weight, with less fat tissue and liver damage compared to control groups. These microbeads, which do not cause gastrointestinal side effects, block fat uptake and may be an appealing alternative to drugs like orlistat. A clinical trial is underway, and the researchers aim to incorporate these flavourless beads into foods like desserts and bubble teas.

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