Doctor Tieu Tiep Kien, a weight management expert at Tam Thu Kim Oanh Clinic in New Taipei City, observes a common condition: "skinny-fat" individuals. Despite restricting carbohydrates or exercising excessively, leading to leaner faces and limbs, their waistlines show no improvement.
According to Doctor Tieu, the real culprit behind chronic diseases is not subcutaneous fat, which can be pinched, but visceral fat – the fat surrounding the liver and pancreas. This deep-seated fat is a precursor to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and fatty liver, posing a much greater danger than subcutaneous fat.
The good news is that this type of fat can be reduced without drastic calorie restriction or rapid weight loss, through four scientifically proven methods:
**Supplementing with plant polyphenols**
Polyphenols are abundant in foods like green tea and matcha. One study showed that individuals on a polyphenol-rich diet experienced twice the rate of liver fat reduction compared to a regular diet. Furthermore, about 50% of participants successfully reversed their fatty liver condition.
**Increasing soluble fiber intake**
Soluble fiber encourages the intestines to produce short-chain fatty acids, which in turn stimulate the release of gut hormones similar to GLP-1 (a hormone that promotes satiety). This helps curb appetite and supports stable blood sugar levels.
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Natural resistant starch, such as brown rice, is recommended for reducing visceral fat. Illustration: Bui Thuy |
**Prioritizing resistant starch**
In one clinical study, patients with fatty liver were asked to consume water containing 40 g of resistant starch daily. After four months, the amount of liver fat in this group directly decreased by 9%.
Natural sources of resistant starch include brown rice, whole grains, or cooled starchy foods.
**Increasing the protein ratio in meals**
Simply increasing the protein ratio in the diet from 10% to 30%, even with unchanged total calorie intake and body weight, can reduce liver fat by up to 42% in just three weeks.
To effectively reduce visceral fat, Doctor Tieu Tiep Kien suggests the following optimized daily menu plan:
Change beverages: Replace milk tea and soft drinks with pure green tea or matcha.
Improve lunchbox: Swap fried pork ribs for salmon, or add two boiled eggs. Boiled eggs are rich in choline, a highly beneficial nutrient for liver cell recovery.
Choose smart carbohydrates: Replace white rice with brown rice to utilize this 'free' source of resistant starch.
Beware of hidden 'enemies': Sugar in fruit juice, sweetened yogurt, pork fat, and processed meats like bacon are leading causes of rapid liver fat accumulation.
My Y (According to LTN)
