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Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine
A new study shows that exposing mice to cold temperatures increases their body’s production of calorie-burning "brown fat" (Molecular Cell, published online Jan. 8, 2015). You have two types of fat in your body:
* white fat that your body stores when you eat too much or exercise too little, and
* brown fat cells, little furnaces that burn white fat for heat and energy.
Excess white fat increases your risk for heart attacks, cancers and premature death. However, brown fat is good for you. By burning extra calories, it helps you to lose weight, get rid of excess fat in your body, and lower high blood sugar levels to help treat and prevent diabetes. Unfortunately, the percentage of brown fat in your body is very small. If you are overweight, the percentage is even lower.