White Fat vs Brown Fat – Understanding the Difference for Better Health

White Fat vs Brown Fat – Understanding the Difference for Better Health

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Are you aware of the types of fat existing in human body? Well, most people just know about fat which they need to melt on a regular basis in order to look hood and stay healthy. But a lot of people don’t know about ‘brown fat’ and ‘white fat’ and different roles played by these cells within the body.

Here’s a brief summary of facts related to fat, mainly the two types human body is home to:

  1. Brown Fat

What is brown fat? This fat comprises of a number of small lipid (fat) droplets and several iron-containing mitochondria (heat-burning engine the cell). The brownish appearance of fat is due to iron in conjunction with blood tiny blood vessels. Brown fat is usually found in the front portion, back of the neck as well as the upper back.

The Role

The main role played by brown fat is to burn calories to produce heat. No wonder brown fat is usually referred to as the “good” fat. It facilitates in burning calories.

The Origin

Generally, brown fat is derived from muscle tissue. It is majorly found in hibernating animals and newborns. Unfortunately, the amount of brown fat in the body starts decreasing dramatically soon after life of a human being as an infant. Those with more brown fat in their body appear younger and slender. They also have normal blood sugar levels.

White Fat vs Brown Fat – Understanding the Difference for Better Health

How to Develop Brown Fat in the Body?

It is easy to generate brown fat in the body via exercising. The activity converts white-yellow fat to brown fat which is metabolically active.  Other ways to generate brown fat in the body include getting ample high-quality sleep, melatonin production, exposing yourself to the cold regularly, and reducing the temperature in your living and working spaces.

  1. White Fat

White fat is comprised of a single lipid droplet. It is known to possess very less mitochondria and blood vessels. This leads to its yellowish white appearance. White fat is known to be the predominant form of fat within the body. It essentially originates from connective tissue. There are a number of purposes of white fat. One of the major ones is that it provides for the largest energy reserve within the body.

It serves as a thermal insulator and cushion for internal organs of the body. During the external interactions with the environment, it serves as a cushion. For instance, one can ensure soft landing the moment they fall on their behind. It is known to be a major endocrine organ and produces a kind of estrogen and leptin, a hormone that facilitates regulation of appetite and hunger. It has also got growth hormone, receptors for insulin, adrenaline, and cortisol (stress hormone).

Most of the white fat in the body is found round the thighs, hips, buttocks, and breasts in women until perimenopause. This is the time when fat is redistributed to the abdomen too. Men hold a tendency to collect surplus fat mainly in the belly region.

White fat inside the belly, also known as the visceral fat is associated with metabolic syndrome. This is precisely a group of symptoms that indicates increased risk for ailments such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

When it comes to diseases and ailments, location of body fat definitely matters! Excess white fat throughout the body increases the risk of cancers of breast, colon, esophageal, gall bladder, and pancreas. This condition is also related to sleep apnea, and certain physical disabilities such as knee arthritis.

A Normal Weight Person should carry the following amounts of White Fat:

  • Men body fat range – 15 to 25 per cent
  • Women body fat range – 15 to 30 per cent
  • Individual weighing 154-pound person – 20 pounds of fat (approx 80,000 calories)

How White Fat is Produced?

This is easy! When you consume a lot of calories and expend only a few, you give way to easy and quick production of white fat in the body.

Certain amount of white fat is crucial for our survival. It is simply a matter of how much and where precisely the fat is located. Hence, you need to focus on controlling your visceral fat level. This means your waist circumference should not exceed 35 inches if you’re a woman. For a man, the circumference should not exceed 40 inches. Also ensure that your total body fat falls within the normal ranges.

Interaction of White Fat with Brown Fat

Is it possible for white fat to interact with brown fat?

According to a new research, when people overeat, they increase their total amount of white fat in the body. Additionally, overconsumption leads to dysfunction of brown fat becoming and facilitates inability to burn calories.

To Sum Up

Now that you have learnt enough about adipose tissue, the types and most beneficial type of fat for the body, it is time to make some goals. The two major goals you must aspire to achieve include:

  • Optimize your brown fat function
  • Keep tabs your white fat load

In order to do this, you need to focus on consuming whole foods in moderation and staying active. Stress is not good for health. Hence, you must practice stress resilience, and lead an alert lifestyle. These tips will help in keeping mitochondria purring and your health and wellness skyrocket!

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