Want to lose weight? Eat chocolate and wine, says professor.
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When trying to lose weight, most of us immediately cut down on favourite treats such as chocolate, cheese and wine.
But a top scientist says there is no need to remove these indulgences from the diet, as they can help us cultivate more 'good' bacteria in our guts - which in turn will help us stay slim.
Speaking at the Oxford Literary Festival over the weekend, Professor Tim Spector, of King's College London, said that the secret to successfully dieting is to eat a wide range of foods.
"We ingest these microbes and they end up in our gut, where they diversify with the new foods we introduce over the years. The more diverse foods we eat, the more varieties of microbes in our bodies, which makes us healthier," reported The Mail.
But a top scientist says there is no need to remove these indulgences from the diet, as they can help us cultivate more 'good' bacteria in our guts - which in turn will help us stay slim.
Speaking at the Oxford Literary Festival over the weekend, Professor Tim Spector, of King's College London, said that the secret to successfully dieting is to eat a wide range of foods.
"We ingest these microbes and they end up in our gut, where they diversify with the new foods we introduce over the years. The more diverse foods we eat, the more varieties of microbes in our bodies, which makes us healthier," reported The Mail.
Professor Spector said that wine,
cheese and chocolate were all good at promoting healthy gut bacteria,
but that fatty, sugary junk food can wipe out healthy gut flora.
The scientist has spoken out before about his belief that changes in our gut microbe community, or microbiome, are likely to be responsible for much of our obesity epidemic.
The human gut contains around 3,500 difference microbial species. But increased consumption of processed foods - as well as over-use of antibiotics - means that humans' diversity of microbes is decreasing.
“Fifteen thousand years ago our ancestors regularly ingested around 150 ingredients in a week," he said last year.
“Most people nowadays consume fewer than 20 separate food types and many, if not most, are artificially refined.
“Most processed food products come, depressingly, from just four ingredients: corn, soy, wheat or meat”.
Last year, Mr Spector enrolled his 23-year-old son, Tom, in a study that involved the young genetics student eating nothing but fast food from McDonald’s for 10 days.
The scientist has spoken out before about his belief that changes in our gut microbe community, or microbiome, are likely to be responsible for much of our obesity epidemic.
The human gut contains around 3,500 difference microbial species. But increased consumption of processed foods - as well as over-use of antibiotics - means that humans' diversity of microbes is decreasing.
“Fifteen thousand years ago our ancestors regularly ingested around 150 ingredients in a week," he said last year.
“Most people nowadays consume fewer than 20 separate food types and many, if not most, are artificially refined.
“Most processed food products come, depressingly, from just four ingredients: corn, soy, wheat or meat”.
Last year, Mr Spector enrolled his 23-year-old son, Tom, in a study that involved the young genetics student eating nothing but fast food from McDonald’s for 10 days.
The research revealed that eating
junk food kills stomach bacteria which protect against health problems
such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and inflammatory bowel
conditions.
Follow @Mazana17
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