The “EAT MORE FAT” Secret to Staying Slim
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted September 14, 2022
Dear Living Well Daily Reader,
Thanks to DECADES of mainstream nutritional misinformation, Americans are terrified of fat.
They fear eating fat even though sugar and vegetable oils are the true villains. And I’ve yet to meet an American that doesn’t believe all body fat is bad, too.
Of course, you don’t want to carryi around a lot of extra weight. But the truth is not all fat is created equal.
In fact, one type of fat is BENEFICIAL to your health, and you want MORE of it in your body.
I’m talking about brown fat.
If you’ve never heard of it before, you’re not alone. Scientists have only recently learned that brown fat exists in adults.
We’ve known for a long time that children have a lot of brown fat on their bodies. But we thought we lost this powerful form of fat as we grew older.
But then PET scans entered the picture. These powerful imaging machines allowed doctors to see inside our bodies like never before, and brown fat was spotted in adults too. What puzzled scientists was that certain people have brown fat while others don’t.
You see, we store two types of fat in our bodies: white fat and brown fat.
White fat is the one we’re all familiar with and love to hate. It’s where we store all those extra calories we don’t burn off.
Brown fat, on the other hand, is a whole different animal. And many folks don’t even know it exists. Brown fat BURNS energy and is one way your body produces heat without shivering.
Having more brown fat has many health benefits. To start with, you’ll be less likely to suffer from heart disease or metabolic conditions like type 2 diabetes.
In fact, having more brown fat can cut your risk of diabetes in half and lower your risk for high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and clogged arteries (coronary artery disease).
According to prior research…
- Brown fat burns glucose which can lower blood sugar levels.
- Adults with brown fat burn 15 percent more calories.
- Brown fat may secrete hormones that help us with things like lowering blood pressure.
Even folks who are overweight and have a lot of extra white fat are much healthier if they also have a lot of brown fat.
So how do you boost your own brown fat levels as an adult? That’s precisely what a team of scientists recently set out to uncover.
The new study, published in the American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, found a surprising trigger for making more brown fat: Vitamin B5.
Vitamin B5, also known as pantothenate acid, not only helps increase brown fat, it can help boost the mitochondria in brown fat. This leads to an increase in calorie burning and improves blood sugar control.
You can raise your vitamin B5 levels by eating more sunflower seeds, chicken livers, eggs, milk, yogurt, lentils, soybeans, mushrooms, avocado, broccoli, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and tomatoes. Supplements are also available if you think you’re still not getting enough.
P.S. Discover the WILD story behind the fat myth and the REAL reason Americans are getting fatter and unhealthier by the day. And learn how to flip this myth on its head to slim down and improve your health.
Source: “Pantothenate protects against obesity via brown adipose tissue activation,” American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, Volume 323, Issue 1, July 2022, Pages E69-E79
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
View More Free Articles
Stop Obsessing Over Diet Trends
Can we stop with the endless diet debates already? Every other week there’s a new headline shouting about which diet is best for weight loss, heart health, or diabetes. Paleo, keto, low-carb, high-protein… it’s exhausting. And now, a new meta-analysis is out comparing the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, and something called AHEI (that’s “Alternative...
A New Reason to Ditch Processed Junk
If you’ve ever walked the inside aisles of your local grocery store and thought, “This is all just junk,” your instincts were spot on. A new study published in the journal Thorax just added another red flag to the list of dangers linked to ultra-processed food—a 41 percent higher risk of lung cancer. That’s right....
When Being Winded on Stairs Is Serious (And When It Isn’t)
I had an athlete visit me recently because he experienced shortness of breath while climbing stairs. He is in great shape, so he was worried about what it might mean. “Doc,” he said, “I run five miles three times a week. Why am I huffing and puffing after two flights of stairs?” His concern is...
Study EXPOSES Hidden Danger Lurking in Your Car
We think of our homes and cars as safe havens. But according to a startling new study, they may be flooding your lungs with microscopic plastic particles—every single day. Researchers in France recently found that adults inhale an average of 68,000 microplastic particles daily from indoor air alone. To put that in perspective, that’s about...
Mailbag: Is Modern Food Making You Snore?
“What can cause snoring, and is there a way to correct this issue?” —Seeking Silence Hi Seeking, Snoring happens when the soft tissues in your throat relax and vibrate as air passes through during sleep. While several factors can cause snoring—from sleep position to nasal congestion—I want to share one trigger that might surprise you....
Simple Food Swap SLASHES Dementia Risk 28%
Let’s be honest… who would jump at the chance to cut their dementia risk by 28 percent. And no, you don’t need to run marathons, survive on broccoli, or learn to play the zither (whatever that is) to make it happen. All it takes is one easy swap—something that’s probably already in your refrigerator. Researchers...
This SMART Floss Exposes Hidden Health Danger
Scientists have created dental floss that doesn’t just clean between your teeth—it also tracks your stress while you’re flossing. Now, I know what you’re thinking… “Great—now even flossing is going to stress me out by telling me how stressed I am.” But this fascinating new tool from Tufts University could be a game-changer for understanding...
Is This "Safe" Sweetener Damaging Your Brain?
The headlines are alarming… “Popular Sugar Substitute Linked to Brain Cell Damage” and “Erythritol Could Damage Critical Brain Barrier” are just two of the dozens I’ve spotted recently. But before you toss every sugar-free product in your pantry, let’s take a closer look at what this study actually shows—and what it doesn’t. The latest research...
This Summer Threat Could SPIKE Your Blood Sugar
Picture this… It’s another scorching hot summer day. You crank up the air conditioning while watching the weather forecast, which predicts yet another “record-breaking” heat wave. It’s starting to feel like just another miserably uncomfortable summer. But what you might not realize is that—if you have diabetes—those rising temps could do far more damage to...
Move Over Yogurt—5 Foods That Pack MORE Probiotics
Let’s talk about your gut. The microbiome is the collection of trillions of bacteria and other tiny organisms that live in and on your body—especially in your gut—and help keep you healthy. I’ve written often about how vital it is to maintain a healthy microbiome. And you might have dutifully added yogurt to your shopping...