Turmeric as a Way to Fight Body Fat

Fight the Good Fight

Every individual requires essential fats. These are the fats that our body requires for maintenance and reproductive functions. The minimal essential fat level for men is 2-4% and 10-12% for women, with women’s levels being naturally higher due to their different hormonal functions related to childbearing. Storage fats are the ones that create the greatest cause for concern. Storage fat percentages are always higher than the essential fat percentages, and unfortunately many have come to rely upon the faulty BMI (body mass index) equation as a way to measure their body fat. Body fat percentage is the best way to gauge an individual’s fitness level, since it is the only body measurement that directly calculates a particular individual's composition with respect to their height and weight.

Unfortunately, very few individuals ever consult with specialists in the field of measurement of body fat, leading to general incorrect notions concerning proper fat levels amongst the mass populace. The BMI is a flawed system because it makes widespread assumptions as to what every person of a particular height should weigh, regardless of the compositions of each individual. For example, a person with a greater than average lean muscle mass might be classified as overweight or obese due to the fact that the muscle weight was counted as storage fat – whereas the individual in question is actually in peak physical condition.

In modern times, especially with the obesity epidemic in America, many individuals have become obsessed with weight. Attention is rarely paid to healthy levels of fat, with the focus instead being placed upon an unrealistic ideal of the slender model, without regard to health.

Ways to Combat Body Fat

Obviously it is easiest to combat body fat simply by avoiding becoming overweight, through following a healthy diet and regular fitness regime. Granted, some individuals have genetic disorders that impact their ability to do so, but as a general rule if a proper diet is combined with a regular exercise regimen, the body will naturally gravitate towards healthy levels of essential and stored fats. In contrast a sedentary lifestyle combined with poor food choices leads the body to stores fat.

In addition to healthy eating and exercise, appropriate supplementation and adequate amounts of sleep, certain herbs are known for their ability to assist in burning stored fat.

Turmeric

Current research is showing that turmeric may help reduce weight gain by suppressing the growth of new fat tissue, pursuant to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition by Tufts University in conjunction with funding from the US Department of Agriculture and the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. Their research involved two groups of mice with high fat diets. They supplemented the diet of half the mice with the equivalent of 500 mg of turmeric per kilogram of body weight per day, and found that mice with the substance in their bloodstream had significantly lower blood cholesterol and less density in fat tissue, implying that lower levels of blood vessel growth equals lower growth of fat tissues. In addition, their livers also contained significantly less fat, with the researchers concluding that, “curcumin appeared to be responsible for total lower body fat in the group that received supplementation.”

Turmeric is an herb similar to curry, usually found in South Asia and the Middle East, with an active ingredient known as curcumin. In medieval Europe it was known as Indian saffron, and it is most commonly used in South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine for its spicy flavor. It is a slightly hot and peppery spice with a mustardy overtone. For years in South Asia it has been used for its medicinal properties, mostly as an antiseptic for cuts, burns, bruises, as well as an antibacterial agent. It also supposedly helps with stomach problems and other ailments. In Pakistan, it is considered an anti-inflammatory agent. In conjunction with its use in weight loss research, research is also being conducted to investigate its potential ability to aid in the treatment Alzheimer's, cancer, arthritis, and other biological disorders. The United States National Institutes of Health are also looking at turmeric as a means to treat colorectal and pancreatic cancer.

A potent herb, indeed.

UltraFitnessDynamics