It’s every dieter’s dream to enjoy the cake without the calories—and results from a recent study investigating the effects of a supplemental starch neutralizer made from white kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) may help turn some of those frosting fantasies into reality. Jay Udani, MD, of the UCLA School of Medicine led the eight-week study of 50 obese adults in which he administered 1,500 mg twice a day of a natural starch-neutralizing supplement made from white bean extract. All participants followed a low-fat diet; at the end of the study, those who received the starch neutralizer lost an average of 3.8 pounds. Those who took the placebo lost only 1.65 pounds. Researchers believe that the bean helps to block the digestive enzyme responsible for breaking down starches and sugars, allowing complex carbohydrates to pass undigested through the gastrointestinal tract.