Fat that Fights Obesity?

Why would I want to increase my fat? There is actually more than one type of fat in the body: brown fat, white fat, and beige fat. Unlike white fat that is not metabolically active, brown fat is actually desirable, as it plays a role in energy expenditure. Recent research suggests that activation of brown fat has a calorie burning effect and may play a role in obesity prevention. Brown fat is primarily found in those that live in cold climates, but can also be found more prevalently in those with certain dietary components. Beige fat can be found within white fat and has the ability to convert white fat into brown fat.

Recent research has found that capsaicin, the compound in red pepper that makes it spicy, promotes fat oxidation (burning of white fat) through the activation of brown fat. Another component found to activate brown fat is L-arginine. Some of the foods richest in L-arginine are seeds, nuts, beans, fish, and spinach.

A recent study has found that fish oil may also reduce the accumulation of white fat by activating brown fat. In a study done in mice, they fed mice high calorie diets. The mice given fish oil supplements gained 5-10% less weight and had 15-25% less fat accumulation than the mice not given the fish oil, but fed the same diet.

More human research is needed on this recent finding. However, the healthy omega-3 fats found in fish oil also reduce inflammation and have the ability to lower triglycerides and “bad” LDL cholesterol and so is worth taking for that reason alone. When choosing a fish oil supplement, try to choose one with the highest amount of EPA and DHA (the essential omega-3’s).

Sources:

Kim, M. et al. (2015). Fish oil intake induces UCP1 upregulation in brown and white adipose tissue via the sympathetic nervous system. Sci. Rep. 5, 18013; doi: 10.1038/srep18013.

"The effects of capsaicin and capsiate on energy balance: critical review and meta-analyses of studies in humans." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 20 Aug. 2015.