Certain fats may be healthy for your body. Brown fat, or the kind of fat that comes after aerobic activity produces a hormone called irisin and changes white fat to brown fat, can be healthy for you and help to even reduce the amount of white fat in your body. Brown fat helps us to burn more calories.

There are a few things that you can do to increase the amount of helpful brown fat in your body.

1. Avoid starving yourself or overeating.

Not only does our body tell us when we are hungry and when we are full, but researchers at Yale University have recently discovered that the same neutrons responsible for sending these signals can also help white fat to be converted into brown fat. This recent research, which was published in the journal Cell, showed that those who ate too little had more white fat, as well as those who ate too much. Those who ate just the right amount had more brown fat than the other groups.

2. Make sure you get an apple a day.

Not only will an apple a day keep the doctor away, but the ursolic acid that is contained in the peels of apples can help increase the production of brown fat, even when a high fat diet is consumed. So far, this research has only been performed with mice, but this does show some promise.

3. Get more exercise.

Fat burning is an obvious benefit to increased exercise. When we work out, our bodies produce a specific hormone called irisin, which helps trigger the white fat cells to convert into brown fat. Benefits will increase as exercise continues.

4. Keep your cool.

Even though it might be cold outside, don’t crank up the heat too much. A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation showed that 12 men who had low amounts of brown fat burned more than 100 calories more per day when they were contained within a room that was kept at 63 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours per day. Researchers are beginning to believe that keeping cooler burns more calories and helps white fat turn into brown fat.

5. Help your body produce more melatonin.

Melatonin helps us keep a consistent sleep-wake cycle, but it may also help produce more brown fat. A recent study conducted on rats and published in the Journal of Pineal Research showed that natural methods of increasing melatonin, like avoiding nighttime exposure to blue light (televisions and computer screens), getting enough sunlight exposure, and consuming foods that contain natural melatonin (almonds, tomatoes, cherries, cardamom and coriander) can help the body produce more brown fat.

You want your body to produce the right kinds of fat, the kinds that help with calorie burning and weight loss, and the kind that lead to decreased risk of chronic health conditions. Try these tips for increasing the brown fat in your body.