In this weeks video health tip, Dr. Matthew Davis, director of Crossroads Chiropractic, shares important information looking at brown adipose tissue (BAT), or brown fat.
It was once thought that, in humans, only babies had brown fat. But we now know that we all have at least a little bit of brown fat, and unlike regular old white fat, which stores calories, brown-fat cells burn energy and produce heat. In 2013, researchers showed that cold temperatures activate brown adipose tissue, leading to a significant reduction in body fat.
What is so interesting is that they found that people with lower (BMIs) tended to have more brown fat. Brown fat has the ability to burn more calories. For that reason, researchers are looking for ways that this brown fat may have a role to help fight obesity.
1. Brown fat is activated by cold.
Spending time in the cold makes your brown fat more active, and could even cause you to grow new brown-fat cells. We know that brown fat helps babies to stay warm, since they don’t posses the ability to shiver, which helps keep us warm. It has been suggested that when adults are exposed to cold temperatures, brown fat may serve as a type of, “internal heating system” , warming the blood as it leave the extremities when out in the cold as it flow back to the heart and brain.
2. It’s found in weird spots.
Brown fat is found in unpredictable locations in the body. It is found in different sports for different people. Typically found in the neck and shoulders, but again not for everyone. Some studies have found brown fat in the chests and abdomen.
3. You have at least some brown fat.
Everyone has at least some brown fat, even though it may not be able to be detected in typical health scans.
4. It’s hard to find.
Because brown and white fat cells are frequently mixed together, it can be challenging to find Brown fat, making it difficult to study.
In addition to cold temperatures, brown fat can be activated by some food ingredients, such as capsaicin, known to burn off calories, the compound that makes hot peppers hot.
When cutting down on calories, our metabolism slows down, affecting our weight loss attempts; but sprinkling a third of a teaspoon of red chili pepper powder on to our food has shown to counteract that metabolic slow down and promotes fat burning.
Other foods that may also stimulate brown adipose tissue (BAT) are Arginine-rich foods including soy foods, seeds, nuts, and beans.
Adding a little spice to your life has many benefits including activating that unwanted fat!
Remember, it’s never too early or laye to see the team at Crossroads Chiropractic. Visit Sharpsburg Chiropractor, Crossroads Chiropractic regularly and make sure your nervous system is functioning 100%.
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