Easiest Diet to Reduce Visceral Fat
Unlike standard weight loss regimens, the optimised Mediterranean diet didn’t just focus on overall calorie intake or macronutrient balance. Instead, it brought polyphenol-rich foods to the forefront, with additions such as more fruits, cups of green tea, and even unique elements like a duckweed shake. This diet led to a significant reduction in visceral fat—a 14% decrease, to be exact, compared to a mere 6% reduction in the standard Mediterranean group and 4.2% in the healthy guideline group, despite no weight loss in the latter. This underscores that visceral fat is influenced by more than just calorie balance; it is deeply connected to what we eat.
What makes polyphenols so effective? Two compounds highlighted in the study were hippuric acid and urolithin A. Hippuric acid is commonly found in dark, forest berries—think blackberries, wild blueberries, and blackcurrants. Drinking green tea, which was part of the optimised diet, also elevates hippuric acid levels. Urolithin A, meanwhile, is sourced from foods like pomegranates and certain nuts and has been shown to protect against visceral fat accumulation even under high-fat diet conditions. These polyphenols seem to have a dual effect: they contribute directly to metabolic health and also act as markers of a well-balanced gut.
In short, researchers compared three diets:
- Healthy guideline diet—clean, higher protein, decent veggies and fruits
- Standard Mediterranean diet—with olive oil, fish, and a good range of whole foods
- Optimised Mediterranean diet—boosted with polyphenol-rich foods like extra fruit and green tea
Here’s what they discovered: