Mistletoe may do more than inspire holiday lip-locking. A compound found in the traditional Christmas-kiss-inducing plant can actually help fight obesity-related liver disease, according to a new study of mice.
The study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, identified a compound called vicothionin in Korean mistletoe that affects fat metabolism in the liver. When they treated obese mice with it, their bodies and liver weights dropped.
Mistletoe is also known to contain a number of biologically active compounds, such as steroids and flavonoids, that may have other health benefits, according to
Science World Report.
The tradition of kissing beneath mistletoe around the holidays stems from ancient times, when it was hung in households to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits.
In Norse mythology, it was also used as a sign of love and friendship.
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