Unveiling the hidden hormone responsible for torching abdominal fat
In a groundbreaking study, researchers have found that the "green" Mediterranean diet may hold the key to improved cardiometabolic health following weight loss. This unique dietary regimen, which excludes red meat and includes green tea and Mankai, a high-protein form of the aquatic plant duckweed, has shown promising results in optimising the microbiome, reducing liver fat, and improving cardiometabolic health more than other diets.
The body's "hunger hormone," ghrelin, plays a crucial role in these findings. Ghrelin levels rise before meals and drop after eating. Interestingly, the elevation in fasting ghrelin levels following weight loss has been linked to reduced belly fat and improved insulin sensitivity.
The "green" Mediterranean diet group experienced a double rise in fasting ghrelin levels compared to those following a more traditional Mediterranean diet or general healthy dietary guidelines. This increase in ghrelin levels may help explain the diet's effectiveness in reducing belly fat and improving insulin sensitivity.
During sleep, the body goes into fasting mode, and ghrelin levels rise overnight. Dieting leads to an elevation in fasting ghrelin levels, which is associated with visceral fat loss in the abdomen and better sensitivity to insulin. When trying to change eating habits, the body produces more ghrelin. A "green" Mediterranean diet can give an even bigger boost to fasting ghrelin levels.
The Mediterranean diet is rich in fiber, antioxidants, and healthy fats from sources like olive oil, nuts, legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils), and fatty fish such as salmon. These components promote weight loss and reduce abdominal fat partly by increasing satiety hormones including ghrelin, which regulates hunger and energy balance.
The "green" Mediterranean diet's high fiber and healthy fat content, combined with the inclusion of foods such as lentils, legumes, green tea, chia seeds, ginger, and cinnamon, not only augment satiety but also directly improve metabolic rate and insulin sensitivity, aiding in fat reduction and glucose regulation.
The study involved participants with either abdominal obesity or abnormally elevated cholesterol. The "green" Mediterranean diet group lost more weight and waist inches than the other two groups. They also experienced a drop in their blood pressure and LDL (or "bad") cholesterol and a nearly twofold reduction in their 10-year Framingham Risk Score.
Researchers suggest that the differential, diet-specific response in fasting ghrelin levels elevation might suggest another mechanism in which distinct dietary regimens, such as the 'green' Mediterranean diet, reduce cardiometabolic risk. The results also indicate that fasting ghrelin is an essential hormone for reducing belly fat and recovering sensitivity to insulin through diet. People with higher fasting ghrelin levels following weight loss may have a lower risk of developing diabetes or other diseases associated with metabolic syndrome and a higher risk of heart disease.
In conclusion, the "green" Mediterranean diet supports metabolic health by modulating ghrelin to enhance satiety and reduce abdominal fat, which together lead to better insulin sensitivity and lower diabetes risk. The diet's unique composition, which emphasises plant-based foods, healthy fats, and specific dietary inclusions, makes it an exciting area for further research in the field of weight loss and cardiometabolic health.
[1] Farajian, N., et al. (2021). Dietary patterns and cardiometabolic risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Diabetes Research, 2021, 1-18.
[2] Tsaban, G., et al. (2021). The 'green' Mediterranean diet: a new approach for improving cardiometabolic health. European Journal of Nutrition, 60(1), 1-10.
[3] Vlassopoulos, D., et al. (2019). The Mediterranean diet and metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients, 11(12), 2920.
- The study suggests that the 'green' Mediterranean diet, rich in fiber, antioxidants, and healthy fats, may aid in reducing cardiometabolic risk by modulating the hunger hormone, ghrelin, to enhance satiety, lower abdominal fat, and improve insulin sensitivity.
- Research indicates that the high fiber and healthy fat content of the 'green' Mediterranean diet, combined with the inclusion of specific foods like green tea, lentils, chia seeds, ginger, and cinnamon, can directly improve metabolic rate, insulin sensitivity, and glucose regulation, thereby aiding in fat reduction and diabetes prevention.
- People following the 'green' Mediterranean diet experienced a double rise in fasting ghrelin levels compared to those following more traditional diets, which may help explain the diet's effectiveness in reducing belly fat and improving insulin sensitivity. This increase in ghrelin levels is associated with a lower risk of developing diabetes and other diseases associated with metabolic syndrome and a higher risk of heart disease.
