Over the course of the last year, the ketogenic diet has become quite popular for weight loss. The diet, which stresses on consumption of more fats and proteins, is one of the most popular low-carbohydrate diets that is gaining traction among those wanting to lose weight. Keto diet has been said to effect fat loss in the body and quicker than any other diets out there. But a new study has put the focus back on a more insidious body fat- fat in the liver. Fatty liver disease is on the rise and the study has indicated that one of the most ideal diets to reduce fat accumulation in the liver is Mediterranean diet, which is also low in carbs and rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as healthy sources of fats like olive oil, seeds and nuts.
The study titled, "The beneficial effects of Mediterranean diet over low-fat diet may be mediated by decreasing hepatic fat content" was published in the Journal of Hepatology and it was conducted by a team of researchers from Ben Gurion University of Negev. For the study, the researchers looked at full-body Magnetic Imaging Resonance (MRI) scans of 278 obese participants. The scientists looked at the impacts of two specific diets on the body-fat distribution of the participants and the scans showed them detailed pictures of the fat distribution before, during and after the trial period of 18 months. The researchers found that Mediterranean diet significantly reduced hepatic fat- the fat that accumulates around the liver, pancreas and the heart.
Mediterranean diet was found to be more effective at reducing hepatic fat, as compared to all other diets with similar calorie budgets. Meanwhile, they found that there was no significant difference between the weight loss effects of these diets, but that the Mediterranean diet, when consumed in combination with exercise, lead to the maximum loss in abdominal obesity or excess fat around the stomach area. The study concluded by saying, "High hepatic fat content is associated with metabolic syndrome, Type-2 diabetes mellitus, and coronary heart disease. In the CENTRAL 18-month intervention trial, a Mediterranean/low-carbohydrate diet induced a greater decrease in hepatic fat content than a low-fat diet, conferring beneficial health effects that were beyond the favorable effects of visceral fat loss."
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