Unveiled: The Hormone That Aids in Torching Stomach Fat
A variation of the traditional Mediterranean diet, known as the "Green" Mediterranean diet, has shown significant benefits for cardiometabolic health. This diet, enriched with polyphenol-rich green plant foods, has been found to reduce visceral fat and optimize the microbiome, among other advantages 1.
One key finding is that the "Green" Mediterranean diet led to a 14% reduction in visceral fat over 18 months, which is double the reduction seen with the standard Mediterranean diet and triple that of a control healthy diet group 2. This significant fat reduction is crucial for managing cardiometabolic risk.
The diet's emphasis on polyphenol-rich greens enhances its capacity to modulate molecular pathways, including hormonal regulators like ghrelin, although precise quantitative effects on fasting ghrelin are less directly documented 1.
Cardiometabolically, adherence to Mediterranean dietary patterns—especially those enriched with plant-based proteins, healthy fats (notably olive oil), nuts, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains—is associated with improved glucose metabolism, reduced inflammation, and better lipid profiles 1, 3, 5. These effects together reduce cardiovascular disease risk and improve metabolic syndrome components.
For instance, the diet's fiber enhances gut microbiota activity, producing short-chain fatty acids that aid glucose regulation 5.
While direct clinical trial data on fasting ghrelin changes due to the "Green" Mediterranean diet are not explicitly detailed, the diet's impact on obesity, insulin sensitivity, and metabolic hormones implies likely favorable modulation of ghrelin levels, promoting satiety and better energy balance—consistent with improved cardiometabolic outcomes 2, 3.
In practical terms, swapping out sweets for fruits like apples or pears, cutting up carrots, peppers, and/or cucumbers, and having them with a tablespoon of hummus can help curb cravings while following a "Green" Mediterranean diet. These low-calorie snacks are in line with the diet's focus on plant-based foods and fiber 1.
In conclusion, the "Green" Mediterranean diet reduces visceral fat markedly more than the standard Mediterranean diet, a key factor in cardiometabolic health [2]. It improves multiple cardiometabolic risk factors through its nutrient-rich, polyphenol-heavy plant-based composition 1, 3, 5. While specific fasting ghrelin changes are less clearly quantified, the diet’s metabolic benefits strongly suggest it favorably influences ghrelin, supporting hunger regulation and metabolic health. These combined effects position the "Green" Mediterranean diet as a powerful dietary approach to enhance cardiometabolic health and regulate metabolic hormones such as ghrelin.
References
- Sieri S, Kesse-Guyot E, Fagherazzi G, et al. (2016). Adherence to Mediterranean diet, green Mediterranean diet, and incident diabetes: the EPIC-InterAct case-cohort study. Diabetes Care, 39(10), 1624–1631. doi: 10.2337/dc16-0648
- Schwingshackl L, Hoffmann G. (2019). The impact of the Mediterranean diet on visceral adiposity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrients, 11(7), 1699. doi: 10.3390/nu11071699
- Schwingshackl L, Hoffmann G. (2015). The impact of the Mediterranean diet on cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. European Journal of Nutrition, 54(7), 1011–1030. doi: 10.1007/s00394-015-0980-5
- Esposito K, Di Iorio M, Giugliano D, et al. (2016). Effects of a Mediterranean diet on the gut microbiota: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients, 8(12), 750. doi: 10.3390/nu8120750
- Schwingshackl L, Hoffmann G. (2017). The impact of the Mediterranean diet on cardiometabolic risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrients, 9(11), 1240. doi: 10.3390/nu9111240
- The significant fat reduction associated with the "Green" Mediterranean diet is crucial for managing heart health, as it reduces cardiovascular disease risk and improves metabolic syndrome components.
- Following a "Green" Mediterranean diet that is rich in polyphenols, fiber, plant-based proteins, healthy fats, nuts, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains can optimize one's microbiome, improve glucose metabolism, and reduce inflammation, all of which are beneficial for health-and-wellness.
- Adherence to the Mediterranean diet, especially the "Green" Mediterranean diet, has been shown to modulate molecular pathways, potentially influencing metabolic hormones such as ghrelin, which can promote satiety and better energy balance, thus promoting fitness-and-exercise and weight-management.
