Excessive visceral fat increases the risk of diabetes! Rumor has it online: Can eating more kelp sprouts and green tea eliminate visceral fat?

Are you afraid of fat? In fact, not all fat is evil, but it is an indisputable fact that excess visceral fat not only causes "belly enemies", but is also closely related to fatty liver, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases! According to a study from Uppsala University in Sweden, for every extra kilogram of visceral fat a woman has, her risk of developing type 2 diabetes may increase by more than 7 times, and by 2 times in men. How can we get rid of visceral fat? Internet legend: "Eating kelp sprouts, green tea, and natto can eliminate visceral fat." Is this true? Let’s hear what a weight loss doctor has to say.

Study: Visceral obesity increases risk of type 2 diabetes

According to researchers at Uppsala University in Sweden, too much fat surrounding organs such as the liver, kidneys, and intestines can cause insulin resistance, which in turn impairs sugar metabolism and leads to so-called type 2 diabetes (also known as acquired diabetes, which has a different pathological mechanism from type 1 diabetes in which the pancreas itself is unable to secrete enough insulin). It can be said that visceral fat is a key factor in increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes.

What is visceral fat? Liu Bowen, executive director of the Taiwan Obesity Education and Prevention Association and a weight loss specialist, said that visceral fat is located deep in the abdominal cavity and covers the organs in the body: the heart, liver, pancreas, kidneys, intestines, ovaries and uterus, and is also stored in the internal organs. The function of visceral fat is to protect the internal organs from being damaged by collisions. However, if too much fat is accumulated due to obesity, metabolic syndrome will occur, and physiologically, the three highs, fatty liver, insulin resistance and hypoxia syndrome will appear.

Visceral fat is sometimes difficult to see from the outside because patients may not have much subcutaneous fat and may not look very fat. It can only be detected through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computerized tomography scans.

Rumor has it online: Can eating more kelp sprouts, green tea, and natto eliminate visceral fat?

Recently, some foreign scholars have suggested eating more kelp sprouts, barley, natto, green tea, mackerel, etc. to help eliminate visceral fat. What is the truth? Dr. Liu Boen analyzed the nutritional content of these foods and said that, for example, kelp sprouts contain iodine, which is closely related to the synthesis of the thyroid gland. Thyroxine is related to metabolic rate. In addition to dietary fiber, barley also contains β-glucan. These high-molecular polymers cannot pass through the intestinal wall cells and therefore cannot be broken down, absorbed, and generate heat like starch. Mackerel is also a protein-containing food with extremely low calories and can be consumed as a low-calorie food. In addition to tannic acid, general green tea beverages are also rich in catechins, which can increase the physiological metabolic rate.

As for the natto food commonly seen on the Internet, it contains an ingredient called nattokinase, which can prevent high cholesterol and thus help prevent cardiovascular disease. It also has the effect of increasing the metabolic rate. Natto is also rich in vitamin B12, which is an important component for repairing body cells. However, you should also pay attention to the balance of calories during the weight loss process. If the starch content is too low, it will cause the risk of ketoacidosis in the long run.

To eliminate visceral fat, you still have to start with weight loss

To eliminate visceral fat, you still have to start by losing weight. The general dietary recommendation is to try not to eat too much red meat, such as beef, pork, lamb, etc., and eat white meat instead, such as chicken, fish, etc. You need to consume enough dietary fiber every day, at least 20 grams. Starchy sugars should not exceed 60% of total calories, and it is best not to eat too refined foods.

In addition to paying attention to diet, it is also recommended to get enough exercise. It is generally recommended to do aerobic exercise at least 3 days a week, each exercise lasting about 30 minutes, with an intensity of about 130 heart beats per minute, and persist in doing so. This will be of great help in eliminating visceral fat.