Money Matters, Simplified.
Study finds citrus-fruits prevents obesity
by Neka Sehgal - July 18, 2009 - comments
Citrus fruits can cut down weight and decrease the risk of diabetes and heart disease, say Canadian researchers.
Toronto, July 18: The tangy citrus fruit not only prevents weight gain but also cuts the risk of diabetes and heart disease, two of the biggest problems associated with obesity say Canadian researchers.
The study found that naringenin, an ingredient found in citrus fruits aids the liver to burn the extra fat rather than storing it.
The study and its findings
Scientists from the Robarts Research Institute, at the University of Western Ontario divided the mice into two groups. Both groups were given the same high-fat diet but the food of one group was fortified with naringenin.
The researchers observed that the mice in the non-naringenin group became obese and developed high cholesterol levels. Also their insulin resistance increased which can lead to complications like heart disease and diabetes.
On the other hand the mice treated with naringenin did not suffer from any of the above symptoms. The ingredient naringenin corrected the triglyceride and cholesterol levels in rodents and prevented the development of insulin resistance, completely normalizing glucose metabolism in them.
"The marked obesity that develops in these mice was completely prevented by naringenin," said lead researcher, Professor Murray Huff.
"What was unique about the study was that the effects were independent of caloric intake, meaning the mice ate exactly the same amount of food and the same amount of fat. There was no suppression of appetite or decreased food intake, which are often the basis of strategies to reduce weight gain and its metabolic consequences."
More studies about preventive properties of Grape fruit
Grapefruit has long been linked with weight loss. However, the researchers admitted that the levels of naringenin used in the study were at higher levels than found naturally in the fruit. Hence, simply eating grapefruit will not reproduce the desired effect.
"We are examining the pharmacological properties of naringenin," explains Huff. "The next step is to find out if naringenin prevents heart disease in animal models and to explore the feasibility of clinical trials to determine its safety and efficacy in humans," he added.
While, this study investigated naringenin's preventative properties, the researchers are now hoping to carry out further research to discover whether naringenin can be safely and effectively used in humans to combat obesity and diabetes.
The research was funded primarily by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, and has been published online in the journal Diabetes.