Dieters claim sprinkles help shed pounds

By Melissa Maynarich, News 9

New research finds simply adding a sprinkle of a dietary supplement may help some people shed unwanted weight.

Dolly Kiosea said she is finally winning her battle of the bulge.

"I lost 28 pounds since I've started," Kiosea said.

She shed the pounds eating all her favorite foods.

"I'm eating fried chicken, macaroni and cheese," Kiosea said. "I love steak."

Kiosea can have her cake and eat it too. She said the secret is in sprinkles developed by Dr. Alan Hirsch of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation.

"They're a unique blend of different sweet flavors and salty flavors," Hirsch said.

The sprinkles are non-caloric and contain artificial and natural ingredients approved for use in food products. A person simply shakes the sprinkles onto food.

"What we're doing is intensifying the smell and the taste of the food," Hirsch said.

Hirsch said the act of intensifying the smell and taste of food helps suppress hunger and tricks the brain into feeling full.

"I used to go out for sushi and I used to eat four or five rolls," Kiosea said. "Now, I'm mostly just having one roll."

Kiosea is not alone. Dr. Hirsch completed a peer reviewed clinical study of nearly 1500 people who used the sprinkles on everything they ate without changing their diet or routine.

"We found an average weight loss over six months of 30.5 pounds," Hirsch said.

Elisa Zied, with the American Dietetic Association, looked at the evidence and was intrigued. Even if the sprinkles help a person eat less, Zied wondered what happens if the person stopped sprinkling.

"If you're not doing what you did to lose weight, probably you won't be able to keep the weight off," Zied said. "Most dieters start to gain weight back after six months."

Hirsch said his hope is that people who lost the weight begin feeling better about themselves.

Kiosea said she hopes to lose at least another 20 pounds using her new favorite condiment.

"I feel so good knowing that I finally found something that's really working for me," Kiosea said.