A new study published in the journal PLoS One, showed that a substance found in large quantities in apple peels may have a protective effect against obesity and resulting health problems, such as diabetes and hypertension.
In tests with mice, researchers at the University of Iowa, USA, observed that a compound called ursolic acid reduces weight gain and prevents the emergence of fatty liver disease.
According to the authors of the study, ursolic acid increased muscle mass and the amount of brown fat in mice, tissue types known to help burn calories. Adipose (fat) tissue is composed of two types of fat: white and brown, and the latter is responsible for releasing excess energy in the body, and does not accumulate in the same was as white fat. “Brown fat” is considered a possible ally against obesity and other diseases related to the problem.
In the study, mice were fed a high-calorie, fat-rich diet during eight weeks, and half the animals also received supplements of ursolic acid, the other half did not. At the end of the study, the mice who had received the supplements weighed significantly less, while keeping normal sugar levels in the bloodstream and further, they not develop fatty liver disease, a common condition associated with obesity.
For Dr. Christopher Adams, who led the research, future studies of the team will observe how well ursolic acid can increase the percentage of brown fat, if the effect is active also in the non-obese, and if ursolic acid is a reasonable treatment for humans.
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