Looking slim and healthy can be termed as a global human desire. We all know that white fat cells store energy.
These white fat cells infamously store fat in the belly, thighs and other places of the body. There is another kind of fat cells which aid in weight loss. These are called as the brown fat cells.
A recent research study trumpets that scientists are getting closer to solve this puzzle. That is turning white fat cells into brown fat cells.
So there is something special about these cells. If you want to find out, scroll down and continue reading this article.
What is brown fat?
Brown fat is found in mammals. It is found in high proportions in newborn and hibernating animals. It is involved in the rapid production of heat.
The distinctive brown color is due to the presence of more of iron-containing mitochondria. This gives the fat cell its brown color.
These brown fat cells contain more capillaries because it has a great need for oxygen than most tissues. While the white cells store fat, these cells utilize fat in the form of heat.
Scientists say that brown fat is a 'potential metabolic bonanza'.
Where can you find the brown fat?
Researchers say that brown fat is found in the neck and shoulders. But recent studies reveal that it is found in the chest and down the spine. It was also found in interesting places in the abdomen.
These results were collected when tests were conducted on a group of healthy young men.
Brown fat does a lot beneficial things like
- Reduce the high blood sugar levels and diabetes.
- It helps to burn calories and aid in weight loss.
- It improves insulin sensitivity
- Help to control blood sugar and
- Increase fat burning metabolism.
How could you activate brown fat?
Dr. George L. King writes in Readers Digest some great tips about its activation.
- Experts say that cold temperatures could activate brown fat.
- A low fat and a high carbohydrate diet could be beneficial.
- Eating apples with the peel on it could activate brown fat. Apple peel contains ursolic acid which increases muscle mass and brown fat.
- Cranberries, blueberries, prunes and plums contain urosolic acid.
- Herbs like oregano, thyme, lavender and holy basil contain ursolic acid.
Dr. Bill Sardi of Knowledge of health points out that iron deficiency and beta blockers inhibit the production and activity of brown fat. So be careful about these.
- According to him, brown fat is activated by omega 3 fatty acids, flax seeds, and fish oil.
- Nutritional supplements which maintain brown fat activity are resveratrol, you can find these in red grapes.
- Garlic, melatonin which is found in pineapple, banana, oranges, oats, sweet corn and tomatoes can help with brown fat maintenance.
- Curcumin found in turmeric
- Green tea and capsaicin found in hot red pepper can boost brown fat activity levels.
Take away
A healthy diet coupled with exercising at cooler temperatures could activate brown fat. Most of us have 50-100 grams of brown fat. It has the capacity to generate 300 times more heat than any other tissue.
This greatly helps in weight loss and helps you to look slim and stunning.
