Dieters often turn to slimming brands and crash diets for weight loss, but one expert says there is a more natural solution.
According to wellness psychologist Ieva Kubiliute, one green juice may offer rapid results, the Manchester Evening News reports.
The drink is said to help target visceral fat, also known as 'hidden fat,' which is stored deep inside the belly and can prove hard to budge.
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Visceral fat is caused by sugary foods and drinks, alcohol and refined grains.
One of the main dangers of visceral fat is the production of more proteins called cytokines, which trigger low-level inflammation.
This, in turn, hikes the risk of other chronic conditions.
A combination of exercise and diet is necessary for reducing visceral fat storage in the body.
But coriander leaves, seeds, flowers and fruit are packed with high contents of antioxidants, which help with digestion.
The plant exhibits a wide range of medicinal activities which include anti-diabetic, antioxidant and anticancer functions.
Wellness Psychologist Ieva Kubiliute said: "Coriander juice is popular for quick weight shedding.
"It works by increasing your metabolism, thus burning more calories at a faster frequency.
"You may not like its taste, but blending with lemon juice improves the flavour and gives more effect."
In one study published in the Journal of Agriculture & Biology, researchers investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with coriander seeds on visceral adipose tissue lipid storage in growing rats.
Rodents were fed either standard rat chow or a standard chow supplemented with crushed coriander seeds.
After five weeks, researchers noted a marked difference in the visceral fat among different rodents.
The researchers explained: "Whilst dietary supplementation with coriander did not affect the lipid content of the liver, it significantly increased the amount of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the visceral adipose tissue where it also decreased the fatty acid content.
"Coriander increased the omega 3: omega 6 ratios in the visceral adipose tissue which may explain its health benefits."
The findings are consistent with further research published in the Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, which studies the effects of supplementation with coriander seeds.
The findings of the study confirmed the hypolipidemic and antioxidative function of the seed in quail.
Adding two to four percent of coriander seed into the animal’s diet significantly reduced abdominal fat deposition and increased PUFA.
A limitation to both aforementioned studies is that they were conducted on animals, so further research is needed to establish the clinical relevance of coriander juice to treat visceral fat in humans.
Previous research, however, has concluded that the leaves boost metabolism by increasing the secretion of insulin, which helps manage blood sugar.
Visceral fat
The condition is largely attributed to a sedentary lifestyle, so exercising regularly is the most logical approach to shedding weight.
Harvard Health recommends engaging "in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days, such as brisk walking or bicycling at a casual pace".
Foods that constitute soluble fibre are also deemed beneficial for visceral fat loss because they promote prolonged satiety.
Paying attention to portion size is deemed important too, as is emphasising complex carbohydrates in your diet.
