How to lose visceral fat: Including more of these foods in your diet could shed belly fat

Visceral fat is a type of body fat which is stored within the abdominal cavity and is located near vital organs. This is why visceral fat is often referred to as the dangerous kind of fat. According to studies, eating more of a certain food type could help you lose your visceral fat.

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Fibre is divided into two categories, insoluble or soluble and both interact with water in the body in different ways.

Insoluble fibre does not mix with water and acts as more of a bulking agent.

This kind of fibre helps form healthy stools and allows it to pass through the gut with ease.

Soluble fibre mixes with water and forms a gel-like substance which slows down digestion.

When soluble fibre reaches the colon, it becomes fermented by gut bacteria into short-chain fatty acids.

These fatty acids are a major source of nutrition for colon cells.

Various studies indicate that short-chain fatty acids from soluble fibre increases the levels of fullness hormones and may help to reduce visceral fat by suppressing one’s appetite.

Dr Kristen Hairston, assistant professor on internal medicine at Wake Forest Baptist suggests eating more foods like apples, green beans or pinto beans which provide an adequate amount of fibre needed in the body to help you lose your belly fat.

Other sources of soluble fibre include oats, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries and potatoes.

When it comes to the benefits of eating more soluble fibre, Medical News Today said: “Soluble fibre helps to lower fat absorption and helps with weight management.

“As a thick, spread-out gel, soluble fibre blocks fat that would otherwise be digested and absorbed.

“Soluble fibre also helps to stabilise blood sugar levels by again preventing fats from being absorbed, soluble fibre helps to slow down the digestion rate of other nutrients, including carbohydrates.

“This means meals containing soluble fibre are less likely to cause a sharp spike in blood sugar levels and may prevent them.”

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Dr Hairston added: “There is mounting evidence that eating more soluble fibre and increasing exercise reduces visceral or belly fat.

“Although the fibre-obesity relationship has been extensively studied, the relationship between fibre and specific fat deposits has not.

“Our study is valuable because it provides specific information on how dietary fibre, especially soluble fibre, may affect weight accumulation through abdominal fat deposits.”

Soluble fibre in oats helps you lose belly fat

In a 2010 study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, oats and its effect on belly fat was investigated.

The study found for overweight and obese participants who ate oats twice per day saw a reduction in their waist circumference more than the group eating a low-fibre cereal of equal calories.

This discovery indicates eating more soluble fibre found in oats could help you lose your belly fat.

The oat group in the study also experienced lower cholesterol levels and results were seen as early as four weeks into the study.

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