The rest of the weight was fat-free body mass, which includes other components such as water or muscle, and is generally not the target of those seeking to lose weight.

A recent Tufts University study found that mice fed a high-fat diet with small amounts of curcumin gained less weight than did other mice given similar but curcumin-free meals.

The team added that sugar-free food and drinks were unlikely to promote weight loss with many containing up to half of the calories of full-fat products.