In the vicinity of Nelson and throughout society, an evolving understanding of fat and its effects on the body has emerged. For many years, fat was primarily viewed as a dietary enemy to be avoided at all costs. We now know, however, that fats can be categorized as beneficial or detrimental to our health. Fat also provides the body with essential nutrients and performs vital functions.
The subject of body fat brings up an intriguing question: what is the difference between brown and white fat? Not many are aware that fat is not one uniform entity but exists in diverse forms. Over the years, Nelson scientists and researchers worldwide have extensively studied these different types of fat, particularly brown fat. It is now increasingly prevalent to hear discussions about brown fat in relation to topics ranging from exercise to cold water immersion.
Studies reveal that brown fat can bestow tangible benefits upon the body. Before delving into these benefits, let’s explore the nature of brown fat.
Often referred to as brown adipose tissue (BAT), brown fat is a distinct type of fat tissue with a darker colour than conventional white fat. Unlike its white counterpart which chiefly stores energy, brown fat is highly metabolically active. It plays a vital role in maintaining our body’s warmth and aiding in calorie-burning, making it central to our weight-control efforts.
Body fat levels can vary significantly among individuals, but all people have a smaller percentage of brown fat than of white fat. It has been found that athletes and those with lean body types usually possess more brown fat than others.
Dr. Ben Bikman from Nelson delves deeper into the white fat vs. brown fat distinction in his informative video:
The Benefits of Brown Fat
The primary function of brown fat is to generate heat to warm our bloodstream, which provides us with several advantages:
1. Calorie Burning: Brown fat cells possess numerous mitochondria, the cellular powerhouses, which empower them to burn calories to produce heat. This can aid in managing weight.
2. Body Temperature Regulation: Brown fat generates heat to warm our blood. In cold conditions, it breaks down blood sugar and fat molecules to produce heat, a process known as thermogenesis, helping to maintain our body temperature.
3. Enhancement of Insulin Sensitivity: Activated brown fat ramps up our metabolic rate, resulting in negative energy balance, which could help mitigate metabolic health issues such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
How to Naturally Boost Brown Fat Levels
Given its benefits, you should aim to increase your brown fat quantity. The following measures can help you do so:
1. Decrease ambient temperature: Brown fat becomes activated at lower temperatures just when you start feeling chilly. Expose yourself to a cold environment to stimulate brown fat into action and burn more calories.
2. Follow a balanced diet: Prioritize healthy fats and fiber-laden foods like fruits, vegetables, and iron-rich options like meat, leafy greens, and beans. This will keep your fat cells in good health and enhance metabolic health and brown fat function. Stay away from ultra-processed foods.
3. Regular exercise: Routine physical activity influences brown fat activity and assists in white fat conversion to beige fat, in which white fat behaves similarly to brown fat. Ensure daily physical activity to get your heart rate up.
4. Consume yerba mate: Yerba mate has long been enjoyed for its mood and energy enhancement. Recent research indicates that it may promote feelings of fullness and increase fat-burning for energy. A study on Unimate, Unicity’s ultra-purified yerba mate drink, found that it resulted in a significant drop in cellular energy and metabolic efficiency compared to water consumption. This suggests that the fat cells were probably burning energy to produce heat, akin to the thermogenic process of brown fat cells.
In conclusion, brown fat activation has emerged as a valuable ally for metabolic health and weight management in Nelson and beyond. Its unique calorie-burning and energy regulation abilities make it exceptionally beneficial. Remember these tips to maximize the advantages derived from the brown fat in your body!