The base cares also for other rare and endangered wild animals with an area of 560 mus (92 acres), 96% of which is verdure. Giant pandas, lesser pandas, black-necked cranes, white storks as well as over 20 species of rare animals are fed and bred there. Verdant bamboo, bright flowers, fresh air, a natural hill scene and a beautiful artificial view are merged ingeniously at the base.

The necessary facilities have been completed and include a fodder room, sleeping quarters and a medical station. Additionally there is a museum together with research laboratories and a training center.

Located just 10 km (6 miles) away from downtown, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding has been created and imitated the natural habitat of giant pandas in order that they might have the best possible environment for rearing and breeding.

The giant pandas are not only a Chinese national treasure but are also beloved by people the world over. They are found only in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. In total there are fewer than 2,000, of which 70% are distributed within the territory of Sichuan Province. Therefore, when visitors from home and abroad come to Chengdu, Sichuan, one of their main objectives will be to see this lovely animal for themselves.

Vitamin D

Speaking of vitamin D, when was the last time you went outside? This vitamin, critical to bone health, is synthesized in the body after a period of sun exposure, and it doesn’t take too terribly long. But doctors are now saying that many of us are deficient because we spend so much time inside – at work, at home, or locked in the basement playing Fortnite.

You can get vitamin D in your diet from fatty fish or fortified milk if you don’t want to go outside, but don’t hesitate to choose a supplement instead. You may want to ask your doctor to check your levels in any case.

In order for the sun to actually stimulate vitamin D production, it needs to be positioned at 50 degrees or greater above the horizon; directly overhead is ideal. There are only so many hours in the day where this is the case, so when you go out makes all the difference.

It Improves Blood Sugar And Insulin Use

Blood sugar and weight loss are linked in a vicious cycle. When you gain weight, your risk for type 2 diabetes increases because the extra pounds are associated with insulin resistance. Once you have insulin resistance, it actually becomes very difficult to shed the extra pounds. However, losing weight is what you must do to reduce the chances of getting full blown diabetes.

Adding apple cider vinegar to your meals lowers blood sugar and insulin levels typically generated by the carbohydrates in food. Studies have been done with people who already have type 2 diabetes and the results were impressive – when participants took ACV with meals their insulin sensitivity was improved by up to 34%.

Diabetics who drank some apple cider vinegar with a high-protein snack in the evening had a two-fold decrease in their fasting blood sugar.

It Lowers Cholesterol

Apple cider vinegar provides other benefits that may help you keep your motivation up while dieting. One is that it reduces bad LDL cholesterol and raises good HDL cholesterol at the same time. It has also been shown to improve dangerous triglyceride levels. Studies in both healthy and diabetic rats and mice have made this conclusion.

People who are overweight do have an increased risk of high cholesterol, though it strikes people of normal weight, too. Anyone who wants better health should consider an apple cider vinegar regimen, but people who are actively trying to lose weight will be glad to know that they are killing several birds with one stone.

It Makes Food Safer

When you’re on a diet, chances are you’ll be adding a lot of chicken, seafood, and fresh produce to your diet. Unfortunately, these foods all top the list of the most recalled food products.

They may be easily contaminated with food borne germs such as salmonella, listeria, or E. coli. We all know that once you’ve been made sick by a particular food, your willingness to eat it again goes way down.

Apple cider vinegar can kill the bacteria that cause food poisoning. Certain studies have shown that vinegar may reduce the level of bacteria on food by 90% and eliminate 95% of some viruses. Of course, you still need to observe food recalls and to wash all produce carefully. Remember, throwing up for days may make you skinnier, but it won’t make you healthier, and that’s really what you’re going for.

It Improves Metabolism

Metabolism is one of the most commonly misunderstood functions of the body. It actually describes the collection of functions the body must perform in order to sustain life. Digestion, by which food is converted into fuel, is just one of those functions. However, the higher your metabolism, the more calories your body burns and the easier it can be to lose weight.

Once again, it is the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar that researchers think is responsible for higher metabolic rates. Most studies on ACV and metabolism have been on rats, but the results are interesting.

Rats who took acetic acid in the course of these studies had a higher production of the enzyme AMPK. Humans also produce AMPK to burn fat as well as limit development of fat and sugar in their livers.

2. It Suppresses Appetite

We all know that cravings are diet-killers. Your brain can be quite persuasive when it comes to eating food rich in fat and sugar. But taking some apple cider vinegar with meals can actually suppress the centers in your brain that control appetite. Imagine dieting without the constant mind-over-matter struggle!

Another way it helps is by slowing the rate at which food leaves your stomach. That means you will feel full longer and be better able to resist the urge to eat between meals. Studies have shown that people who take ACV with their meals eat about 200-275 fewer calories throughout the day than people who don’t.

It Burns Fat And Reduces Stored Fat
For one thing, acetic acid helps you burn fat. But even better, it actually reduces the body’s tendency to store fat at all. In rat and mouse studies, acetic acid was found to activate the genes that reduce belly and liver fat storage. Further studies in humans have supported this result.

One human study out of Japan found that participants who ingested either one or two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar every day all lost weight as well as had a reduction in body fat percentage, waist circumference, and triglyceride levels.

The participants who were given two tablespoons fared better than those who took just one, while those on a placebo were found to have gained a few pounds on average.

The word ''Mi' (honey in Chinese) was discovered in the inscriptions on bones and tortoise shells of the Shang Dynasty (16th-11th century BC), which demonstrates that China has a long history of bee culture. In addition, a consulting service regarding bee products is also provided. One can buy inexpensive but excellent products, books about bee keeping, and souvenirs from the sales exhibition.

Admission Fee:
Free
Opening Hours:
08:00-16:30
Closed from November 15 to March 15
Bus Route:
Take bus No. 318, 331, 360, 634, 714, 733, or 737 to Beijing Zhiwuyuan (Beijing Botanical Garden), then walk to the museum.