Can New Zealand hops help during fasting?

Amarasate^™ is the extract of a hop cultivar bred by Plant & Food Research and only grown in New Zealand. The extract was identified as part of the government-funded Foods for Appetite Control programme which screened over 900 plant extracts for their potential in controlling appetite.

In this randomised, double-blind cross-over clinical trial, conducted by Plant & Food Research, Amarasate^™ reduced feelings of hunger in 30 healthy, young men who undertook a 24-hour water-only intermittent fast. 

The men were given either Amarasate^™ or a placebo and assessed to determine how hungry they get throughout the day. When taking Amarasate^™ the men reported a significant reduction in hunger, most notable when skipping a lunchtime meal 18h into the fast. Additionally, the men reported maintaining a greater feeling of fullness when taking Amarasate^™ compared to the placebo. 

These results suggests that people who are undertaking periods of fasting to manage their food intake – such as intermittent fasting regimes which are gaining popularity currently – may benefit from using Amarasate^™ to keep their hunger at bay during their fasting periods.

Journal Reference:Walker E, Lo K, Tham S, Pahl, Lomiwes D, Cooney J, Wohlers M and Gopal P 2019 New Zealand bitter hops extract reduces hunger during a 24 h water only fast. Nutrients 11 (11) https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11112754