A new study shows that following a “green” Mediterranean diet burns fat three times faster than a normal healthy diet.
A study published in the journal BMC Medicine found that eating a plant-based Mediterranean diet burns dangerous types of body fat three times faster than a typical “healthy” diet.
Those who followed this diet for 18 months experienced a 14% reduction in visceral fat levels compared to a control group who followed a standard healthy diet and experienced only a 4.5% reduction in fat levels. . And the conventional Med diet was only half as effective as the meat-free diet.
Visceral fat is the type that wraps around vital organs in the abdomen and is more likely than other types of fat to increase your risk of serious medical problems such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and type 2 diabetes. Fat typically results in a beer belly, but can also be seen in lean people.
Research suggests that reducing visceral fat should be a weight loss objective and is more indicative of health than an individual’s overall weight or waist circumference.
High in fat and protein and low in carbohydrates, the Mediterranean diet is touted as an overall healthier diet and is becoming increasingly popular for its heart health benefits.
Plant-based foods such as whole grains, vegetables, and legumes are the basis of the diet, and olive oil is the main source of added fat, but the green Mediterranean diet places a particular emphasis on vegetables.
The 18-month study, conducted by researchers at Ben-Gurion University in the Negev, involved 294 participants who were considered clinically obese with an average age of 51. They were divided into three groups and led to a “healthy” diet, a Mediterranean diet, or an eco-friendly Mediterranean diet.
Those on a green Mediterranean diet were instructed to refrain from red meat and poultry and to drink 3-4 cups of green tea and duckweed (Wolffia globosa) shakes daily – protein, iron, B12, Rich in vitamins, minerals and polyphenols – a meat substitute.
Both groups following the Mediterranean diet were subject to a calorie restriction of 1,400 calories per day for women and 1,800 calories per day for men, eating less than 40 grams of carbohydrates per day for the first two months and then increasing to 80 grams.
Strict calorie counts were not given to those on a typical “healthy” diet.
All participants received a weekly 90-minute nutrition lesson for the first month, followed by monthly aerobic and resistance training 3-4 times a week for 45-60 minutes for the next 5 months. I was asked to do it for a minute.
Ultimately, in this study, the Mediterranean and green Mediterranean diets produced similar weight loss and waist circumference in participants, while the green Mediterranean diet doubled the reduction in visceral fat. The reduction in visceral fat was tripled compared to the “healthy” diet.
We also concluded that increased dietary intake of green tea, walnuts, and duckweed and decreased red meat intake were significantly associated with decreased visceral fat.
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