Dr Zoe Williams discusses visceral fat on This Morning
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Visceral fat, or belly fat, lurks within the abdominal cavity, which houses vital organs such as the liver and intestines. The disastrous consequences of accumulating fat in this region includes hampering insulin production that leads to type 2 diabetes and contributing to heart disease risk. Belly fat loss is easier achieved when reducing the number of foods which are notorious for increasing insulin resistance in your diet, including these four.
Fruit juice
Fruit juice is a major sugary beverage in disguise.
Even unsweetened 100 percent fruit juice contains a lot of sugar which impacts belly fat.
In fact, 250 ml of apple juice and cola each contain 24 grams of sugar.
The same amount of grape juice packs a whopping 32 grams of sugar.
Although fruit juice provides some vitamins and minerals, the fructose it contains can drive insulin resistance and promote belly fat gain.
Trans fat
Trans fats are often used to extend the shelf lives of packaged foods, such as muffins, baking mixes and crackers.
They have been shown to cause inflammation leading to insulin resistance, heart disease and various other diseases.
There are also some animal studies suggesting that diets containing trans fats may cause excess belly fat.
At the end of a six-year study, monkeys fed an 8 percent trans-fat diet gained weight and had 33 percent more abdominal fat than monkeys fed an 8 percent monounsaturated fat diet, despite both groups receiving just enough calories to maintain their weight.
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Ice cream
Ice cream can increase belly fat in a few ways.
It’s rich in sugar, which triggers an increase in blood sugar followed by an increase in insulin levels, which promotes an increase in fat storage in your midsection.
“A pint of ice cream could have up to about 1,000 calories, and for some people, that’s more than half their daily intake,” said dietician Edwina Clark.
She added: “That means if you keep up that habit, it could result in some pretty hefty weight gain.”
Refined carbs
In a study published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, a refined high carbohydrate diet and the changes on the serotonin pathway and visceral fat were investigated.
Consumption of palatable foods high in refined carbohydrates has been implicated as a contributing factor to the epidemic levels of obesity, noted the study.
It added: “Such foods may disrupt appetite regulation in the hypothalamus through alterations in hunger and satiety signalling.”
The study delved into how refined carbohydrates could induce obesity due to the modulation of serotonin and dopamine signalling.
The study used rats with visceral fat percentage being used as a measure of weight gain during the trial.
The study found that after 29 weeks, the rats on the refined carb diet showed a significant increase in visceral fat.
It was also noted a higher level of triglycerides was found in the refined carb group with an increase in circulating lipids in the blood with a distorted serotoninergic signalling.
Consumption of palatable foods high in refined carbohydrates has been implicated as a contributing factor to the epidemic levels of obesity, noted the study.
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