Yes, you CAN eat chocolate!
Cheese, pasta and potatoes are on the menu, too, says DR MICHAEL MOSLEY
The healthy gut diet is not about restricting what you eat. Indeed, it is only a ‘diet’ in the same way that you might talk about being on, say, a vegetarian diet or a Mediterranean diet.
My message is focused on the sort of food you should eat and lifestyle changes you should make, whether you have known gut problems or simply want to ensure your gut microbes are fighting fit and working to protect you against the effects of ageing and disease.
here, I answer some of the most common questions about the diet . . .
Q DO I HAVE TO COUNT CALORIES ON THIS DIET?
A NO, THIS is not a calorierestricted plan. As long as you fill your plate with a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, and occasionally experiment with fermented foods such as sauerkraut, your gut bacteria will be happy.
Q HOW MUCH WEIGHT CAN I EXPECT TO LOSE?
A WHILE this is not a weight-loss plan, many people find that when their gut bacteria are happy, their weight settles naturally — you could lose 1-2lb per week.
Q CAN I STILL EAT CHOCOLATE?
A Yes! As long as it’s dark chocolate (particularly if it has a high cocoa content) because this has less sugar and is less addictive than milk chocolate. The problem is not the cocoa, but the sugar in milk and white chocolate.
Cocoa itself is surprisingly good for you. It is broken down in your colon to produce nitric oxide, which expands arteries and is good for your cardiovascular system. It is also an excellent source of flavonoids and polyphenols, which are great for your gut bacteria.
But whoever invented milk chocolate was an evil genius. It is the most craved food on the planet.
Not only does it taste and smell great, it has the magic ‘50:50’ ratio. That is, half its calories come from sugar and half from fat — just like other foods you love, such as doughnuts and ice cream.
our craving for the 50:50 combination could come from the fact breast milk shares the same ratio of fat and sugar.
Q WHAT ABOUT CHEESE?
A You’ll be reassured to hear that it forms a welcome part of our healthy gut diet. look out for unpasteurised cheeses and scour labels for those containing live and active cultures. You will find significant numbers of ‘good’ bacteria in varieties such as Gouda, mozzarella and cottage cheese, as well as in blue cheese such as Roquefort.
And feta is rich in a type of bacteria called Lactobacillus plantarum, which produces helpful anti- inflammatory compounds.
The French eat something like 20kg of cheese per person per year — more than any other country — yet they have relatively low rates of heart disease and obesity.
This is known as the ‘French
paradox’ — and I am convinced gut bacteria play a part.
Q WILL I HAVE TO DO EXERCISE, TOO?
A You don’t have to, but if you are interested in protecting your health, it’s not something you should avoid. Besides, exercise also seems to be good for your gut bacteria. Studies show regular exercise appears to increase microbial diversity in humans.
Anything will help — running, walking, swimming, taking the stairs, even just standing around more will probably make a difference. Above all, avoid sitting too much. For optimal health, it is a good idea to inject some intensity into your regime. The type of exercise I favour is known as high-intensity training (HIT).
For me, this means very short bursts on a bike or just running up a flight of stairs — anything where you can really push yourself.
Q IS SUGAR BANNED FROM MY DIET?
A I’M AFRAID there’s no skirting around the fact that sugar is bad for your health. And I don’t believe artificial sweeteners are much better. my advice is to go cold turkey and eat healthy snacks instead.
unfortunately, natural alternatives to sugar, such as honey and agave syrup, will have a similar effect on your blood sugar levels as eating sugar. I’m not totally against them, but they are wolves in sheep’s clothing.
The case against artificial sweeteners is more complex. Studies suggest that they can change your gut bacteria in unhealthy directions.
mice fed water laced with the artificial sweetener saccharin developed glucose intolerance — a step away from diabetes. Some people have gut bacteria that appear to react to sweeteners by secreting chemicals that provoke an inflammatory response, which could encourage obesity and diabetes. The evidence is not clear-cut, but I’d recommend avoiding artificial sweeteners.
Q ARE BREAD, POTATOES, PASTA AND RICE BANNED?
A NO! BUT many people find wheat hard to digest so I’d suggest cutting back on bread and trying other grains.
Choose wholegrain bread, rice and pasta, rather than their white counterparts, as they contain more fibre which your gut bacteria love.
You can make rice, pasta and potatoes more gut-friendly if you cook, cool, then reheat them later — this process boosts the amount of a special kind of starch (called resistant starch), which your gut bacteria like. It’s also a great way to use up leftovers!