Bergamot helps against visceral fat and high cholesterol. This is what emerges from a recent scientific research that appeared in the journal Phytotherapy Research thanks to the work of an Italian team from the University of Pavia (Rondanelli et al, Phytotherapy Research, 2020).
Risks of visceral fat
How fat is distributed in the body is more important than the amount of fat itself. In fact, accumulations of central fat, and therefore in the abdomen area, increase, more than other fat distributions such as, for example, on the hips, chronic inflammation and the risk of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cellular degeneration, cardiovascular disease and infections due to a weak immune system. That's why scientists are constantly looking for remedies and guidelines to combat visceral fat. Bergamot and the juice obtained from this fruit are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances and show hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties, also capable of keeping blood lipid levels under control. Given these effects, the researchers of the study we are talking about today wondered if bergamot could also help fight visceral fat.
The beneficial effects of bergamot, the study
64 people between the ages of 18 and 60 were recruited, all with a condition of obesity and hypercholesterolemia. The study participants were divided into two groups. The first group was asked to take bergamot extracts containing the fruit's antioxidants for 3 months. The second group instead took a placebo and was used as a control. At the beginning, during and at the end of the study, the volunteers underwent visits and medical examinations to assess the presence of visceral fat and to register the cholesterol and blood sugar levels. What emerged was that those who had taken the bergamot extracts had a significant reduction in visceral fat. Not only that, total cholesterol and bad LDL cholesterol levels were also decreased. It is worth noting that these beneficial effects were observed as early as the end of the first month of taking bergamot.
Conclusions
Here is another proof that nature is a precious ally to preserve our health. Today we have seen that the antioxidants contained in bergamot can counteract visceral fat and high cholesterol, with clear benefits on the health of the heart and the whole body.
