Researchers at University of California, Berkeley have found out that not only copper an important nutrient for human beings, the metal plays highly important role in metabolizing fat.
Lead researcher Chris Chang at the university said, “We find that copper is essential for breaking down fat cells so that they can be used for energy”.
“It acts as a regulator. The more copper there is, the more the fat is broken down,” Change added.
Chang pinted out, “Copper is not something the body can make so we need to get it through our diet”.
Oysters, other shellfishes, leafy greens, mushrooms, seeds, nuts and beans consists huge amount of copper in it.
However, researchers have cautioned against high dose of copper as it can make imbalance in body with other important minerals such as Zinc.
According to Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, National Academics of Sciences, the estimated average dietary requirement for copper for adults is about 700 micrograms per day in the United States.
By Prajakt K.
