Harvard-, AIIMS-, Stanford-Trained Gastroenterologist Reveals Best and Worst Foods for Visceral Fat
For many people, fat loss feels like a never-ending struggle. Hours in the gym, thousands of steps tracked daily, and yet the stubborn belly fat refuses to budge. According to leading gut health experts, the problem often lies not in how much we move, but in what we eat — especially when it comes to visceral fat.
Visceral fat, the deep abdominal fat stored around vital organs, is now considered one of the most dangerous forms of fat. Unlike the soft fat you can pinch, visceral fat quietly disrupts hormones, blood sugar, and heart health. Recently, Dr Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist trained at Harvard University, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, and Stanford University, shared a clear, food-first guide on how everyday snacks, proteins, and carbs can either fuel or fight visceral fat.
His message is simple but powerful: sugar and ultra-processed foods are the real culprits, and whole foods remain the strongest defence.
Trend Insight
Over the past decade, awareness around visceral fat has grown rapidly, especially in urban India and among younger adults. Rising cases of insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, and early-onset heart conditions have pushed doctors to look beyond weight or BMI as the only markers of health.
Studies from global health institutes consistently show that people with excess visceral fat face higher risks of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disorders — even if they appear “normal weight.” Sedentary lifestyles, stress, irregular sleep, and diets heavy in refined carbohydrates and sugar-sweetened snacks have accelerated this trend.
Culturally, snacking habits have changed. Traditional meals built around whole grains, lentils, and seasonal foods are increasingly replaced by packaged snacks with long ingredient lists. Psychologically, stress eating and sugar cravings have become common coping mechanisms, creating a cycle that feeds visceral fat accumulation.
This shift explains why experts like Dr Sethi are now emphasising ingredient awareness and food quality over calorie counting alone.
Expert View
According to Dr Saurabh Sethi, sugar fuels visceral fat more than most people realise. Hidden sugars in snacks, sauces, and refined carbohydrates trigger insulin spikes, pushing the body to store fat deep inside the abdomen.
He categorised foods into clear “best” and “worst” groups to help people make smarter daily choices.
When it comes to snacks, Dr Sethi recommends nuts and seeds such as walnuts, almonds, chia seeds, and flax seeds. These foods provide healthy fats, fibre, and anti-inflammatory compounds that help regulate blood sugar and reduce fat storage. On the other hand, ultra-processed packaged snacks — especially those with long ingredient lists — are among the worst choices for visceral fat.
For protein, Dr Sethi highlights fatty fish like salmon and sardines as top options due to their omega-3 content, which supports metabolic health. Eggs and chicken are also effective lean protein sources. For vegetarians, lentils and chickpeas offer a powerful combination of protein and fibre. Processed meats such as sausages and deli meats, however, are strongly discouraged because of their links to inflammation and metabolic dysfunction.
Carbohydrates, often misunderstood, are not the enemy — refined ones are. Whole grains like oats, barley, and traditional millets support gut health and provide slow-release energy. In contrast, refined flour products such as white bread, pastries, and bakery items contribute directly to visceral fat accumulation.
Adding to this perspective, Dr Shubham Vatsya, a gastroenterologist at Fortis Vasant Kunj, explains that belly fat texture can offer clues about internal health. Soft belly fat usually indicates surface fat, while a hard abdomen often points to deeper visceral fat that affects hormones, insulin sensitivity, liver health, and the heart.
Research from the Luxembourg Institute of Health further defines visceral obesity as excess intra-abdominal fat surrounding organs like the liver and intestines, significantly increasing chronic disease risk regardless of body weight.
Lifestyle Impact
Understanding visceral fat changes how people approach food. Instead of focusing on extreme diets, many are shifting toward sustainable eating patterns rooted in whole foods.
In daily life, this means replacing packaged snacks with nuts or roasted seeds, choosing dal or fish over processed protein, and opting for millets or oats instead of refined flour. These small, consistent changes have a compounding effect on gut health, insulin balance, and inflammation.
Psychologically, reducing sugar intake also stabilises mood and energy levels, lowering the urge for emotional eating. Socially, there is a growing acceptance of mindful eating, with more conversations around label-reading and ingredient awareness at home and in workplaces.
Importantly, experts stress that food choices work best when combined with regular movement, quality sleep, and stress management. Visceral fat is deeply connected to cortisol, the stress hormone, which means lifestyle balance matters just as much as nutrition.
Conclusion
Visceral fat is not just about appearance — it is about long-term health. Insights from experts like Dr Saurabh Sethi reinforce that the battle against visceral fat begins in the kitchen, not just the gym. By cutting down sugar, avoiding ultra-processed foods, and prioritising whole, nutrient-dense options, individuals can significantly reduce internal fat and improve metabolic health.
The takeaway is reassuring: you do not need complicated diets or expensive supplements. Simple, informed food choices made consistently can protect your organs, balance hormones, and support sustainable fat loss.
Final Thoughts from TheTrendingPeople.com
Visceral fat is a silent health disruptor, but it is also highly responsive to lifestyle change. What makes expert-backed advice like this powerful is its simplicity — eat real food, limit sugar, and be mindful of what goes into your body daily. In a world overflowing with diet trends, returning to whole foods may be the most effective and realistic path to better health. Small changes today can protect your heart, liver, and metabolism for years to come.
