So today I learned something new.
Brown Fat.
On the base of my daughter's neck in the back where her neck and shoulders meet, she's got the cutest little pudge of fat--charmingly chewable. I pointed it out to my husband, and he says, "Oh yeah--brown fat."
Like I was supposed to know this? Is this common knowledge that I'm just naturally clueless about?
I guess it's something newborns and hibernating animals share alike. In newborns, it a layer of fat in the lower neck area that helps the body regulate a core temperature and to aid in keeping the blood warm as it travels to the brain.
Most humans grow out of and lose this fat, while bears keep it their whole life due to their hibernation habits.
Although 'brown fat' doesn't make the idea of 'fat' sound any better, it sure does look cute on my daughter. I guess it's called 'brown' because the actual fat under the skin looks darker than regular fat?
I was fascinated by this tidbit of trivia!
I married such a smarty!
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1 comment:
I didn't even know there was a different color fat, so he must be smart.
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