The problem of obesity is running rampant in our world today. That said, the belly is one of the most dangerous places to accumulate fat, yet a muffin top is all too common and so are cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
Current research has credited Vitamin C with its belly-fat-reducing power. It doesn't just ward off the flu, Vitamin C is being linked to low abdominal fat levels as well.
In this article, we'll tell you how this vitamin helps burn belly fat.
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1. More about belly fat
There are two types of abdominal fat–these include subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat is the layer that lies between your skin and the abdominal walls. This is the fat that you can hold with your hands. Visceral fat, on the other hand, is buried deep within the abdominal cavity, where it surrounds our vital organs making it even more dangerous for our health. Visceral fat can increase your risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
2. Vitamin C and fat metabolism
Research shows that patients with Vitamin C defficiency often weigh more and have a larger waist size than the average person. Even among people who successfully lose weight from all over their body, those with low Vitamin C levels have more abdominal fat.
Certain levels of Vitamin C are required to synthesize the molecules needed to digest fat. Without these molecules, the stored fat is "locked." This causes build-up, and makes your belly larger and larger.
3. Vitamin C increases exercise performance
An article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states that low Vitamin C levels can hinder fat metabolism. Any kind of workout done when your body is even slightly deficient in Vitamin C, will have a limited impact on reducing belly fat. Having adequate levels of Vitamin C can help you burn up to thirty percent more fat during a moderate intensity exercise routine, than if you performed the same routine in a state of deficiency.
4. Vitamin C and adrenals
High stress levels increase the production of the hormone cortisol in our body and deplete us of Vitamin C. This favors the storage of fat, especially in the abdominal region. Keeping our Vitamin C levels up will actually help lower the level of cortisol, which can in turn help reduce belly fat.
5. Vitamin C and heart disease
Research shows that increasing your intake of Vitamin C actually lowers the level of C-reactive protein which is an inflammation marker that is a good predictor of both diabetes and heart disease. Further research showed that in non-smoking participants who had higher level of CRP, daily doses of Vitamin C for two months lowered their inflammation biomarker significantly.
The impact of Vitamin C deficiency can be devastating, especially if you are working very hard towards getting a flat stomach. Besides taking supplements, you can boost your Vitamin C levels by eating yellow bell peppers, guava, citrus fruits, dark green leafy vegetables, berries, kiwi, broccoli, papayas, tomatoes and peas.
Other than helping to reduce belly fat, Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps repair cellular damage, and protects our body from cancer, inflammatory diseases and heart disease. So don't hold back. Go ahead and load up on Vitamin C.
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