starch blocker

American  

[stahrch blok-er] / ˈstɑrtʃ ˌblɒk ər /

Also starch block

noun

1. a substance ingested in the belief that it inhibits the body's ability to metabolize starch and thereby promotes weight loss: declared illegal in the U.S. by the FDA.

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Other Word Forms

• starch-blocking adjective

Etymology

Origin of starch blocker

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

The medicine, a so-called starch blocker intended to cut blood sugar after meals, is unpopular in the U.S. because it’s not potent enough to justify its side effects, according to Tom Donner, head of the diabetes center at Johns Hopkins University.

From BusinessWeek