Even though body fat is generally considered a “bad” thing, researchers have discovered that a certain type of body fat can actually be beneficial for your health.  Brown fat can be found in varying degrees within the human body, and people with higher levels of brown fat actually have improved health.

What is Brown Fat?

Brown fat, also known as brown adipose tissue, is found in every human being, but some people have higher levels than others.  There are actually two types of fat within the human body: white fat and brown or beige fat.  White fat tissue is the type of fat that people are talking about when they want to lose weight, and increased levels of white fat can lead to health problems, such as decreased insulin sensitivity which can lead to diabetes.

In comparison, brown fat can actually contribute to better health, and it has been found to protect against diabetes and obesity.  Higher levels of brown fat in the body can actually be beneficial to reduce blood sugar levels, which have a direct impact on a person’s risk for diabetes.

Brown fat is most common in newborn babies.  The fat helps to generate body heat so that the small child can regulate their body temperature. When brown fat is present in an adult body, it helps to burn calories and regulate blood sugar levels.  All adults have some brown fat, but some people have more than others.  But here’s the great thing… YOU have the ability to stimulate and develop more brown fat!  And I’ll show you how in just a minute.

Health Benefits of Brown Fat

When a person has higher levels of brown fat, it has been found that they have improved health markers that are associated with specific diseases. Some of the health benefits include:

• Higher Metabolism

• Higher Insulin Sensitivity

• Improved Blood Sugar Control

It has been found that brown fat levels begin to decrease as a person ages, which could be directly related to the reason that many people experience a slowed metabolism.  If you are trying to lose weight, then you should be focusing on increasing brown fat because it will help to regulate your blood sugar levels so that you can lose white fat.

How to Naturally Develop More Brown Fat

There are 3 effective methods to stimulate and build more brown fat, so you can improve your overall health and boost you ability to burn more (white) fat.

• Use melatonin supplements.  Melatonin is naturally produced within the body to help with sleep regulation, and researchers have found that increased melatonin might help to stimulate brown fat.  When beige fat is stimulated, it can be beneficial for burning calories.

• Spend time exposed to cold temperatures.  When humans are exposed to cold, their brown fat metabolism increases which can help to burn white fat in the body.  Multiple research studies have found information that links brown fat with cold temperatures.  You can expose yourself to cold temperatures by putting ice packs on your chest and back for half an hour each day, taking a cold shower, getting in a tub of ice water for ten minutes, or drinking a tall glass of ice water first thing in the morning.

• Move your body.  Exercise is another very beneficial way to stimulate brown fat.  Some researchers have theorized that exercise helps to release certain enzymes that can help to stimulate the conversion of white fat cells to brown fat cells.  And the best exercise

If you want to lose weight, focus on targeting your bodies white fat and stimulating your brown fat.  Eating healthy, exercising regularly, and putting the above tips to use are great starting points.