Feed good bugs to slim quick
FIRST’s summer-fresh meals won’t just delight your taste buds, they’re loaded with super fibers that feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut that will make calories seem to disappear!
Over the past decade, “good bacteria” or probiotics have emerged as the darling of the weight-loss world. Studies show that these beneficial “bugs” can deliver incredible perks, including doubling weight loss, increasing insulin sensitivity by 300 percent and dialing down appetite by 20 percent. Again and again, top doctors have told us to supplement with probiotics and fill up on fermented foods like yogurt and kefir. And we’ve taken this advice to heart: Researchers at the National Institutes of Health report that probiotic use has quadrupled since 2007. But despite all
the good bacteria we’re collectively getting, many of us aren’t seeing the slimming results we deserve. What gives? The problem: dietary shortfalls of
prebiotic fibers. “Prebiotics are indigestible short-chain carbohydrates that make it to the colon, where they feed the good bacteria,” explains Vincent Pedre, M.D., author of Happy Gut. “But most people are getting only half of the prebiotic fiber they should. And without these nutrients in the diet, probiotics can’t grow properly.” Instead, the good bugs die off, which allows bad bacteria that feed on sugar and simple carbs to thrive. These bad bugs in turn stimulate appetite, switch on fat-storage genes and slow metabolism, pulling us into a vicious fat-trap cycle.
But when good gut bugs are nourished with the right food, they shift the body into quick-slim mode. Filling up on foods rich in prebiotic soluble fibers and resistant starch provides beneficial bacteria with a steady supply of fuel, so they can start revving metabolism and edging out fat-packing bad bacteria. In fact, Duke University researchers report that gut bacteria begins to respond to diet changes in as little as one day. And the more probiotics are fed, the faster the pounds will come off. The reason: Good bugs ferment the fiber into the short-chain fatty acid butyrate. “Butyrate actually turns on genes that boost metabolism, break down carbs into energy and block the conversion of sugar into fat,” asserts Raphael Kellman, M.D., author of The Microbiome Diet and founder of the Kellman Center for Integrative and Functional Medicine in New York City. “So when you feed your good bacteria, you’re prompting them to produce a powerful metabolism booster that is one of your best allies for weight loss.” The proof: In a study at the University of Calgary in Canada, subjects who adopted a diet rich in prebiotic fibers lost 101 percent more belly fat than those who didn’t.
Speedy slimming is just the beginning. Nourishing good bacteria also optimizes their ability to extract nutrients from food, produce feel-good serotonin and dial down inflammation to encourage a total-health turnaround. “With a healthy, flourishing microbiome, mood improves, anxiety vanishes and digestive issues cease,” cheers Dr. Pedre. Indeed, women FIRST spoke to also reported benefits like increased energy and fewer aches.
The best part? Getting the perks of prebiotics couldn’t be easier or more delicious. All it takes is adding one serving of food rich in prebiotic fiber to your daily diet. Top sources include whole grains, cooled potatoes, onions, tomatoes, garlic and apples. For best results, Dr. Pedre suggests continuing to enjoy at least one daily serving of probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, kombucha and kimchi to help proliferate the good gut bacteria. Promises Dr. Kellman, “The makeup of gut bacteria is the key to weight loss and optimizing metabolism. Once you improve the makeup, you’ll set the stage for effortless weight loss for life!”
“When you feed good bacteria, they produce a metabolism booster that’s one of your best allies for weight loss.”
—Raphael Kellman, M.D.