Carb blockers are a type of substance that is supposed to be able to block the body from being able to absorb the carbohydrates that are ingested in foods, such as starches and sugars The ongoing low carb trend had created a whole new popular category of diet supplements that have become quite popular. After all, giving up our favorite snacks and treats is often easier said than done.

However, not all carb blocking ingredients are created equal and while virtually every diet pill out there says that it is the most effective or most powerful one out there, this is clearly not the case. Therefore, it if you are considering the use of that type of diet pill, it’s a very good idea to get to know the ingredients that are commonly found within them.

To start, it should be recognized that carb blockers are actually more formally known as amylase inhibitors. These are sold to help people who are eating a low carb diet to further reduce the number of carbohydrates that are actually absorbed by their bodies. Ingredients not only vary from one product to the next in terms of what they are, but also in terms of how much is actually contained within the supplement, as the majority of these ingredients are unproven so the most effective quantities with which to include them in a formula is actually unknown.

The following are three of the most common ingredients in weight loss supplements about which there are claims of being carb blockers:

• White kidney bean extract – also frequently listed as phaseolamin or phaseolus vulgaris, this substance does bind with the enzymes in the body that are used to break carbohydrates down. This stops the body from being able to digest them. However, while this has been found to work within clinical studies, it has yet to be proven in any large studies to actually result in weight loss. Therefore, while some carbs may be blocked by this substance, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the outcome will be weight loss.

• Chromium – this is often also listed as chromium picolinate and is also often called a carb blocker. There has been very limited preliminary research that has indicated that the use of this ingredient caused a decrease in food intake among its users, but in terms of actually functioning as an amylase inhibitor, that has yet to be proven.

• Chitosan – this substance is made from shellfish shells. While this substance does actually function as a fat blocker, it is frequently labeled as a carb blocker by many diet pill manufacturers.