When people are asked about seaweed, often they would describe it as the slimy and sticky grass of the sea. On the other hand, seaweed is a very nutritious food. Researchers from UConn discovered that Connecticut-grown sugar kelp is linked to preventing weight gain and other onset health conditions associated with obesity.
Obesity and Fatty Liver Disease
According to SingleCare, obesity occurs when a person has excessive amounts of body fat. This increases their risk of additional health problems. Roughly 1 in every 3 American adults or 36% of the US population is struggling with obesity. Researchers estimate that by 2030 nearly 20% of the global population would be diagnosed with obesity.
On the other hand, fatty liver disease is characterized by excessive fat accumulation in a person's liver. John Hopkins Medicine says that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has been strongly linked with obesity. Excessive fat causes insulin resistance and induces inflammatory signals.
Patients that have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight or obese, have diabetes have a higher risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
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How Connecticut-grown Sugar Kelp Helps Weight Gain and Other Health Conditions
A study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, entitled "Sugar Kelp (Saccharina latissima) inhibits hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in a mouse model of diet-induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis" reports significant findings that support the nutritional benefits of Connecticut-grown sugar kelp.
Researchers found that brown sugar kelp helps inhibit hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in mice models with diet-induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, otherwise known as fatty liver disease.
The team of researchers led by Young-Ki Park from the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources and Ji-Young Lee, an assistant research professor and head of the Department of Nutritional Sciences analyzed differences in 3 groups of mouse models. Researchers placed 2 on high-fat diets while incorporating sugar kelp. While the third group had a low-fat diet as a control group.
Mice models that had sugar kelp diets had lower body weight and were found to have less tissue inflammation. The team also found that sugar kelp consumption helped prevent the development of steatosis, known as the accumulation of fat in a person's liver. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis is a known condition that is heavily linked with obesity which causes inflammation and reduces functionality in the liver.
Lee says in a statement in MedicalXpress that he was not at all surprised by the data considering seaweeds' many health benefits. However, researchers are pleased that the study is the first analysis of the benefits of Connecticut-grown sugar kelp.
The team specifically analyzed the effects of Connecticut-grown sugar kelp since Connecticut regulates seaweed safety. Which is vital in monitoring heavy metals that seaweed may absorb from its environments.
Most seaweed consumed by US citizens is imported from other countries. Both Park and Lee are hopeful that more research will be conducted on the benefits of locally grown seaweeds and will prompt consumers to support the industry in every state.
After the completion of the pre-clinical study, researchers hope to pursue clinical studies and further investigate the benefits of Connecticut-grown sugar kelp for other health conditions and concerns.
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