Visceral fat is the fat that accumulates around vital organs inside the body such as the liver, pancreas and intestines. When this fat is too large, it can cause serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and many other conditions.
Scientific studies show that green vegetables can help reduce visceral fat through various mechanisms, bringing great benefits to human health.
Green vegetables are rich in fiber and antioxidants that are beneficial to health. The fiber in green vegetables helps improve the digestive system and reduces the ability to absorb fat from food.
In particular, soluble fiber—found in vegetables like spinach, kale, and collard greens—has been shown to be effective in reducing visceral fat. According to one study, soluble fiber can reduce visceral fat by 3.7% over five years with just a 10-gram increase in daily fiber intake.
In addition, antioxidants found in green vegetables, typically vitamin C, vitamin E and polyphenol compounds, help fight free radicals - a factor that causes inflammation and increases the risk of visceral fat accumulation.
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that consuming antioxidant-rich green vegetables can reduce inflammation and aid in the breakdown of visceral fat. When inflammation is reduced, the body produces less of the substances that lead to fat accumulation in the abdominal area, especially visceral fat.
Not only that, green vegetables also provide phytochemicals, such as flavonoids and carotenoids, which have the ability to reduce visceral fat through regulating hormones in the body.
For example, green vegetables can help balance the hormones insulin and leptin - two important hormones in regulating body fat. Insulin balance helps limit insulin resistance, a major risk factor for visceral fat formation. Leptin also plays an important role in controlling hunger and reducing fat storage in the body, thereby supporting visceral fat loss.
A specific example of the effect of green vegetables on reducing visceral fat is a study in Japan with participants who ate a diet rich in green vegetables. The results showed that this group of people had significantly lower visceral fat than the control group who did not eat much green vegetables.
The results were published in the journal Obesity, one of the most prestigious journals in fat and obesity research, and confirmed the role of green vegetables in reducing visceral fat.
