Dr Zoe Williams discusses visceral fat on This Morning

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Visceral fat is body fat that is stored within the abdominal cavity and is therefore stored around a number of important internal organs such as the liver, pancreas and intestines. According to Harvard Medical School, visceral fat indicates a greater risk of heart disease and diabetes. While a balanced diet and regular exercise come first in managing one’s weight, research performed has shown that certain spices may help reduce belly fat. 

Cinnamon

The active compound in cinnamon is known ascinnamaldehyde.

In a 2012 Japanese study published in the “Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology, two groups of mice were fed a diet high in sucrose and fat.

One group was given cinnamaldehyde daily, and the other was not.

After a month, researchers found that the mice taking cinnamaldehyde had lost visceral fat, whereas the control group didn’t.

The study concluded that the cinnamaldehyde stimulated the metabolism of the fatty visceral tissue, suggesting that cinnamon could be useful in reducing belly fat.

READ MORE: High cholesterol symptoms: Two warning signs on your face of high cholesterol levels

Ginger

Ginger, a spice that is extracted from the flowering ginger plant, Zingiber officinale, has been shown to reduce the harmful belly fat, for example.

A small study found that people who consumed ginger stayed fuller for longer as compared to those who did not. Ginger also has a significant effect on the hip to waist ratio.

Gingerols in ginger also stabilize blood sugar levels.

Blood sugar is a great way to facilitate long-term healthy fat loss, in addition, it can help keep a person’s metabolism high, so food is processed quicker.

In a study published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, the effects of ginger intake on weight loss in overweight and obese subjects were analysed.

The study noted: “This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was performed to summarize the effect of ginger intake on weight loss, glycaemic control and lipid profiles among overweight and obese subjects.

“Overall, the current meta-analysis demonstrated that ginger intake reduced body weight, waist to hip ratio, hip ratio, fasting glucose, but did not affect insulin, BMI, triglycerides, total- and LDL-cholesterol levels.”

The study showed that supplementing with ginger significantly decreased both body weight and belly fat.

Cumin

In a study published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, cumin consumption on visceral fat loss was further investigated.

The randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 72 subjects who were all overweight and aged between 18 and 50 years old.

Participants were randomly divided into three groups with the first group receiving cumin, second group receiving lower levels of cumin and the third group receiving placebos.

The study found that after eight weeks, the high dose cumin group saw a significant weight loss and also saw a significant reduction in fasting plasma glucose with a significant rise in quantitative insulin sensitivity check.

“Results of the current study indicated that taking high-doses of cumin for eight weeks among subjects who are overweight saw a beneficial effect on their weight,” concluded the study.

Cumin is a common spice with exceptional benefits for your health.

Not only has it been shown to help jump-start weight loss, but cumin can also reduce inflammation.

Cumin is safe for most people looking to reach a healthy weight and balance their blood sugar.
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