Incorporation of Carob Into a High‐Fat Meal Influences Subjective Satiety, Ghrelin and PYY Regulation

BACKGROUND: Dietary components that influence appetite-related hormones and subjective satiety may help regulate food intake. Aqueous carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) preparations may have a role in postprandial appetite regulation. AIMS: To investigate the effects of an aqueous carob preparation incorporated into a high-fat meal on postprandial appetite-related hormones and subjective satiety. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An acute randomized controlled crossover trial was conducted in 20 healthy males. Participants consumed two meals of similar energy content on separate occasions: a control meal containing an orange-flavoured beverage and a test meal containing an aqueous carob preparation. Blood samples and subjective appetite ratings, assessed using visual analogue scales, were collected over a 180-minute postprandial period. RESULTS: Compared with the control meal, the carob meal resulted in lower subjective hunger (p = 0.011) and desire to eat (p = 0.029), and greater satisfaction (p = 0.047). Peptide YY (PYY) area under the curve (AUC) values differed between meals (p = 0.040). Following the control meal, ghrelin decreased at 30 min (p = 0.012), followed by a marked increase at 180 min (p < 0.005). The magnitude of the change in ghrelin from baseline to 180 min differed between meal conditions (p = 0.005). DISCUSSION: The findings suggest that an aqueous carob preparation may improve subjective appetite responses when consumed with a high-fat meal. Differences in PYY and ghrelin responses may contribute to these effects, although a causal relationship was not established. The acute study design and inclusion of only healthy males limit conclusions about long-term effects and applicability to other populations. CONCLUSION: Incorporating an aqueous carob preparation into a high-fat meal may favourably influence postprandial appetite and satiety regulation. Further research is needed to determine whether these effects persist over time and translate into reduced food intake.