The average American will consume 130 pounds of potatoes and potato products in a year. Fifty percent of our national potato crop production is shipped directly to companies that manufacture french-fries, potato chips, and other less healthy potato-based treats. But a recently developed protein extract may present a new, healthier, alternative to traditional weight loss medications.
The protein, potato proteinase inhibitor 2 (PI2), developed by Kemin Health is derived from white potatoes, and is one of the main ingredients in the weight loss supplement, Slendesta.
A recent study, conducted at Iowa State University, has shown that when an individual ingests PI2, the release of a cholecystokinin, a peptide that simulates the feeling of fullness, is stimulated.
The largest study in a series to test the weight loss potential of PI2 involved some 240 participants, and spanned 12 weeks. Participants who were given 30 mg of PI2 one hour before the two largest meals of the day showed marked weight loss over participants who had been given a placebo.