London, Jan 7 : Fragrant compounds that occur naturally in raspberries and a number of other fruits are the brand new get-slim-quick fix on the market.

Raspberry ketones are normally used to give a fruity smell to cosmetics and foodstuffs and, as only one to four milligrams can be extracted from every kilo of fresh fruit, a synthetic version is often used to get the same result.

Now, these ketones are being sold online, in supplement form, as a slimming agent, the Daily Mail reported.

The key lies in the fact that the ketones appear to boost levels of a hormone called adiponectin, which regulates metabolism. Higher levels of this hormone are associated with lesser fat stores. (ANI)