Lurking deep in your abdominal cavity, visceral fat surrounds vital organs, such as the liver, kidneys and intestines. This tricky location along with the fat’s properties can boost your risk of diabetes, dementia and certain cancers. Fortunately, simple dietary tweaks could help stamp the culprit out.
Unlike subcutaneous fat, visceral fat isn’t a jiggly substance stored right under the skin that you can pinch.
This type of fat is hidden deep inside your belly.
It might be out of mind, out of sight, but it can lead to serious health problems. So, keeping the substance in check could be key.
According to research published in the journal Nutrients, the drink that may help reduce the dangerous belly fat is apple-cabbage juice.
READ MORE: Type 2 diabetes: The cholesterol-lowering food that slashes blood sugar levels ‘by 50%’
The study found that the fruit and vegetable drink was able to cut visceral fat.
The researchers set out to observe the effects of cabbage-apple juice on obesity in rat models.
The study used two drinks – one consisted only of cabbage and apples and the other was fermented by probiotic strain Lactobacillus Plantarum EM isolated from kimchi.
The amount of juice given to the models was recorded at 10 millilitres per kilogram of body weight.
DON’T MISS
One thing to consider is that this is only one study and it’s been conducted on animal models instead of humans so more research might be needed.
Interestingly, fermented foods have been previously linked to a lower amount of visceral fat.
From sauerkraut to kimchi, fermented foods use anaerobic processes during which microorganisms, such as yeast and bacteria, break down food components, Heart Foundation details.
Isa Kujawski, founder and owner of Mea Nutrition, told Eat This Not That: “Some studies have linked an increase in beneficial gut bacteria to a reduction in visceral fat mass.
“Incorporating fermented foods including yoghurt, kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut may have a positive impact on digestion and a host of other processes that help regular weight and belly fat mass.”
How can I tell if I have too much visceral fat?
The substance can be tricky to unveil as it’s not the usual pinch-like fat.
But Health Direct shares that greater waist circumference could give it away as it “is a good indicator of how much fat is deep inside the belly”.
Also, Harvard University explains that visceral fat makes up about 10 percent of total fat so carrying higher amounts of body fat in general could also be a sign.
The most reliable way is to have a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan, according to Diabetes.co.uk