PLANT NUTRIENTS THAT WILL HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT

If you want to lose weight, you should firstly know that there's no magic pill for achieving this in a safe and effective way. Lifestyle changes like dieting and doing exercise are essential, but they might not be enough. I invite you to understand the different factors involved in the process of storing undesired excess fat and to learn what foods will give you the extra help you need. There are many plant nutrients that modulate several biological functions like fat storage, fat burning, inflammation, sensitivity to insulin and creation of new adipose cells that are all involved in obesity.

WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF FAT ANYWAY?

Fat is important for storing energy, conserving body heat and cushioning organs. It is deposited in adipose cells which respond to metabolic and hormonal signals that indicate them the right time to keep or burn fat. However, some factors like an unbalanced diet, lack of exercise and genetics can offset the balance and favor fat storing. Adipose cells thus grow in size and number and produce some toxic substances that ultimately affect the liver, heart, lungs, pancreas and brain, leading to the development of other chronic and degenerative diseases.

Fat is  deposited in adipose cells, whose uncontrolled growth leads to chronic and degenerative diseases

REDUCE INFLAMMATION AT ALL COST

Some of the substances that adipose cells produce are called cytokines. They attract white blood cells in an effort to get rid of the swollen and dead adipose cells, which produce even more cytokines that put the body in a chronic inflammatory state. Inflammation plays a major role in the development of diabetes, brain diseases, cardiovascular diseases and even cancer. Add the following phytochemicals to your diet in order to reduce inflammation:

Curcumin

Long used in Indian medicine and culinary tradition, turmeric is rich in curcumin, an anti-inflammatory molecule that is responsible for turmeric’s deep-orange-yellow color. Curcumin blocks the expression of NF-ƘB, a gene that commands the production of many inflammatory compounds including cytokines. Use turmeric powder to prepare delicious golden rice, chicken soup or tea with some drops of honey.

Naringenin

Grapefruit not only contains great amounts of vitamin C, but is rich in naringenin, a powerful antioxidant that blocks adipose cells’ production of inflammatory substances and prevents white blood cells from infiltrating to the adipose tissue. Add grapefruit to your salads or have it as a healthy snack, but avoid having juices because they have a lot of sugar and little amounts of fiber. Grapefruit can be really sour, so don’t forget to remove the membranes to enjoy a sweeter taste. In addition, naringenin interferes with the metabolism of many drugs, so I strongly recommend you to ask your doctor if you can take grapefruit when you are on a treatment.

PROMOTE LIPOLYSIS AND PREVENT LIPOGENESIS

Fat burning, also called lipolysis, is the process of using fat as a fuel and is triggered by aerobic exercise. In addition, some plants have the amazing ability to turn on this metabolic switch and also block lipogenesis - the synthesis of fat from sugar. 

Resveratrol

Found in grapes and its derivatives, many health benefits are associated to the long-term intake of resveratrol. It increases lipolysis in adipose cells and reduces lipogenesis and growth of adipose cells. If you are familiar to the French paradox, now you understand why French people eat a lot of saturated fat without having such high rates of cardiovascular diseases as Americans. You can have 1 or 2 cups of red wine daily, but don’t forget alcoholic beverages are often high in calories.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)

If you want to keep burning calories after working out, green tea is an excellent beverage that leaves your metabolic switch on. In addition, the body uses fat to generate heat – a process called thermogenesis – which can be induced by green tea’s main constituent EGCG. So make sure to have a nice cup of green tea after doing exercise and having lunch!

Capsaicin

Have you ever wondered why chili peppers are so spicy? They contain significant amounts of an alkaloid called capsaicin that has many pharmacological effects, including inducing thermogenesis and reduction of body fat. Capsaicin works better in combination with EGCG, so you can have a spicy meal with green tea. Remember many phytochemicals work together to exert powerful pharmacological actions that have yet to be understood.

CUT OFF NUTRIENT SUPPLY OF ADIPOSE CELLS

Blood vessels supply oxygen and nutrients to the whole body. They are created through a biological process called angiogenesis that is triggered during wound healing. As the adipose tissue grows, angiogenesis is needed in order to provide enough oxygen and nutrients to the area. The body has an amazing capacity to create blood vessels; in fact for every 10 kilograms of extra weight, 29 kilometers of blood vessels are formed!

During weight loss, there is a healthy reduction of blood vessels which can be supported by eating anti-angiogenesis foods such as:

·        Green tea

·        Red grapes

·        Garlic

·        Turmeric

·        Berries

·        Kale

·        Artichoke

·        Tomato

·        Parsley

·        Soybeans

 How do they manage to modulate angiogenesis? Cells produce a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that stimulates the creation and growth of vessels. Phytonutrients from such foods block the gene that encodes VEGF, reducing the production of this protein. Please note that they do not block angiogenesis completely, but somewhat reduce the ability of adipose tissue to create new vessels, which is just one of the many biological functions that have to be modulated as part of the integral management of obesity.

LOWER DIABETES RISK

You have probably been told this a thousand times: if you are obese, you have a greater risk of developing diabetes. This is partly because excess fat moves from the adipose tissue to other organs, such as the liver, muscles, heart and pancreas, where they have toxic effects and trigger organ dysfunction. Insulin resistance can be a consequence of obesity, which is the inability of cells to take up glucose to produce energy.

Cyanidin

The strong color of berries is due to a family of molecules called anthocyanidins. Cyanidin is the most common anthocyanidin and is largely found in blackberries. It improves cells’ ability to take up glucose in respond to insulin signals, which is the exact opposite of insulin resistance, and therefore lowers the risk of diabetes. Cyanidin has other many benefits such as preventing cancer and chronic diseases. Eat a handful of blackberries daily, they are also rich in vitamin C and minerals that expand their health benefits.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

Many people certainly become obsessed with reducing calorie intake and doing exercise, but they sometimes forget that phytochemicals can further aid to lose weight by modulating the different biological functions mentioned above. Make sure to incorporate all these foods to your diet. You will enjoy the results in a shorter time and will also help you to promote general health and well-being.

If you want to find out more technical information on how plant nutrients modulate biological functions involved in obesity, read this very comprehensive article published in the Journal of Pharmacological Sciences:

Marta Gonzalez-Castejon, Arantxa Rodriguez-Casado. Dietary phytochemicals and their potential effects on obesity: A review Pharmacological Research 64 (2011) 438– 455.