Using The Bugs of Your Gut To Lose Weight?

Yes, Lose Weight By Balancing Your Intestinal Flora…

By now virtually everyone has heard of probiotics, the beneficial bacteria that you can get from yogurt and other fermented foods or, the more popular method, probiotic supplements that are now widely available.

Probiotics do a lot of things like help with digestive problems such as bloating, gas, and constipation. They also do things that even we might not of heard of such as easing diarrhea from antibiotic use (antibiotics kill bad AND good bacteria). But these are things that don’t even scratch the surface of what probiotics can actually do. The main thing I want to focus on (while keeping it simple) is that new studies are showing that the bacterial population in the intestine, known as the gut microbiology or intestinal flora, can profoundly affect weight gain.

Here’s what you need to know…

Bugs Out Of Balance?

Ideally, the bugs (bacteria) in the gut are in equilibrium with a prevalence of other organisms that help keep the harmful or “bad” bugs in check. But if you’re overweight than there is a good chance that you have a bacterial imbalance of the digestive tract, known as dysbiosis.

This is caused in part by the overuse of antibiotics, which comes from two sources and one of which you may not be aware of. Obviously antibiotics can cause damage from the medicine we take BUT also from the drugs that are given to farm animals and later end up in our food supply. (YEP!) On top of that, about 13% of calories in the average diet now come from added sugar (including refined cane sugar and honey, etc.)… And harmful bacteria LOVE sugar.

Nerd Alert: People who are overweight or obese tend to have larger populations of Firmicutes, organisms known as “fat bugs” because they are involved in weight gain. Lean people, on the other hand, have larger populations of Bifidobacteria, beneficial organisms that fight the inflammatory intestinal environment that triggers weight gain. Hmmm….

Foods That Help

The traditional American diet which is usually heavy on inflammation-promoting processed foods with not nearly enough anti-inflammatory plant foods—seems to promote the production of fat-forming Firmicutes. Research shows that adopting a Mediterranean-style diet (lots of fish, olive oil, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and modest amounts of wine—is probably ideal for the microbiome) is the best way to maintain a healthier bacterial balance. Also other high quality style diets like paleo, plant-based, etc. do the same thing. But other steps can also be taken to achieve a better balance of bacteria.

There’s only preliminary evidence that probiotic supplements prevent weight gain or help with weight loss. Supplements are good but there is a definitely more ways to improve. What you need are probiotic fermented foods that have live bacteria and prebiotic foods that supply the raw ingredients that feed the beneficial bacteria.

Research in Belgium shows that people who get as little as 16 g (less than one ounce) of prebiotic foods daily can shift their microbial balance…reduce their appetite…experience greater degrees of fullness after eating…and have a reduced body mass. (This also could be attributed to the types of foods as well, like cruciferous vegetables). But even if you’re not concerned about weight gain, prebiotic foods feed the intestinal flora. This helps strengthen gut health, which can increase immunity.

Gut-balancing foods worth trying…

• Fermented milk. Fermented products (such as yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese and buttermilk) create an intestinal environment that promotes the production of beneficial bacteria. (We’ve all seen the Activia commercials). Plus, these foods are rich in Lactobacillus gasseri, a microbe that reduces subcutaneous (under the skin) and visceral (around the organs) fat. Studies have shown that people who eat at least three servings of yogurt a week tend to have decreased hunger and a lower waist-to-hip circumference as well as improvements in blood lipids and better preservation of muscle mass.

Look for brands that contain 40 billion or more organisms per serving (much more than a typical supermarket brand).

• Kimchi, a Korean side dish that’s a potent prebiotic. It’s made of pickled cabbage and spices and also contains kochukaru, crushed red chili pepper, which has fat-burning effects. (Just like capsaicin efefcts we’ve also all heard about). It’s best to have kimchi (available in Asian markets and online) at least three to four times a week. And no, its actually not that bad if its good quality.

• Berries. ALL TYPES of berries, including blueberries, strawberries and raspberries, have been linked to weight loss. Why? Because beneficial bacteria love them. People who eat berries tend to accumulate less fat and have an improved insulin response (also because people that eat berries tend to have other healthier life style choices as well). I recommend having two ounces of berries three or more times a week. Or MORE!

• Green tea. Two to three cups of green tea daily are enough to support the growth of fat-burning bacteria. Yep, thats why you see it all the time for ways of losing weight. When researchers analyzed the results of 15 previous studies, they concluded that green tea with caffeine is associated with weight loss, reduced waist circumference and a lower body mass index.

• Cinnamon. This all-around great spice lowers blood sugar after meals and delays the time that it takes the stomach to empty—crucial for feeling full after eating. Sprinkle about one-quarter teaspoon in your morning coffee or on cereal or yogurt daily.

• Asparagus. It contains the prebiotic inulin, which increases populations of Bifidobacteria, Lactobacillus and other beneficial bacteria. (Remember those names from above?) Asparagus is one of the few foods (beside cruciferous vegetables) that provides a lot of glutathione, an antioxidant that reduces inflammation-related weight gain. Eat asparagus once or twice weekly. I know I do.

So there ya go. Not too difficult to try to implicate a few or all of these ideas into your lifestyle. Take your time figuring out which one’s work best for you and which ones you actually enjoy.

Train Smart. Eat Smarter. Stay Fit.

-Eric