Your hidden fat trigger

Drop 11 pounds in 7 days with Dr. Stork’s slimming soups

Over the past decade, “good bacteria” have emerged as the darling of the weightloss world. Again and again, top doctors and nutritionists have advised us to supplement with probiotics to increase metabolism, improve digestion and dial down hunger. And we’ve taken this advice to heart: Researchers at the National Institutes of Health report that probiotic use has quadrupled since 2007. But for all the time and money we’ve collectively spent trying to flood our systems with good bugs, many of us aren’t seeing the slimming results we deserve. And now Travis Stork, M.D., bestselling health and weight-loss author and cohost of

The Doctors, has exposed the reason: too much focus on increasing the quantity of good gut bugs rather than improving the variety of bugs.

“Lean women have more gut bacteria diversity than heavier women,”

Dr. Stork explains. “Think of it like a box of crayons: In lean people, you see every color of the rainbow, but in overweight people, you see a small number of reds, blues and greens.”

Now scientists have discovered an easy, effective shortcut to achieving a slimming diversity of gut bugs. Finnish researchers identified a species of gut bug called Akkermansia muciniphila, or Akk, that acts as a “welcoming committee” for beneficial bacteria. When these Akk bugs are flourishing, they release shortchain fatty acids that serve as an energy source for other helpful gut bacteria. Plus, Akk bugs excrete an antibacterial protein that specifically targets bad bacteria, pushing them out of the gut and making the gut itself more hospitable to beneficial bacteria. Overall, these changes help create Dr. Stork’s rainbow-filled crayon box. The proof: Research published in the journal Gut shows that adults with the highest levels of Akk have microbiomes that are, on average, 70 percent more diverse than those with lower levels of Akk.

Dr. Stork says enjoying one bowl of soup a day is all it takes to get the benefits—no pricey supplements required. The key is to consume soups that are rich in foods that promote Akk, including beans, asparagus, mushrooms and barley. “I call [these foods] prebiotic superstars,”

Dr. Stork explains. “They are fantastic sources of the soluble and insoluble fiber that support our gut bacteria and increase microbial diversity.” Indeed, a team of Belgian researchers found that increasing intake of these foods leads to a 100-fold increase in Akk levels. And once Akk gets to work improving gut-bug diversity, the pounds come off fast. “One of the wonderful things about your gut,” says Dr. Stork, “is that it responds fairly quickly to proactive changes.”

Women who improve their gutbug variety with a daily prebioticrich soup report losing up to 11 pounds a week. And a study conducted at the Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition in Paris found that adults with higher levels of Akk have smaller fat cells and smaller waistlines overall than those with lower Akk levels— plus 48 percent lower markers of body-wide inflammation and 38 percent lower markers of prediabetes.

The positive side effects go beyond a flat stomach. FIRST readers who fill up on soup say they experience a reduction in cravings, supercharged energy, renewed confidence and more restful sleep. And Vincent Pedre, M.D., medical director of Pedre Integrative Health in Manhattan, adds, “The benefits are wide-ranging, from increased mental clarity to hormone balance. When it comes to immunity, the remarkable fact is that about 70 percent of your immune system lies all along the lining of the gut.” This is especially beneficial right now because studies have shown that increasing microbial diversity decreases the number of sick days subjects take by as much as 20 percent. Read on to discover the souping strategy that will whittle your waistline and help you feel your all-time best.

“You’ll not only control your weight but you’ll lower the risk of conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.” —Travis Stork, M.D.