Need another reason to avoid high-fat, high-sugar foods? How about this: it can alter the balance of “healthy” bacteria in the gut, predisposing you to further weight gain. Here’s the scoop…
Studies have identified two primary types of intestinal bacteria involved in digestion: Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Researchersat Washington University in St. Louis, MO found that obese mice have a preponderance of Firmicutes as opposed to Bacteroidetes. It is believed that the Firmucutes alter energy balance so that the body tends to store more fat. When the intenstinal bacteria of previously lean mice were transplanted into previously lean mice, they gained a significant amount of fat mass. Interesting stuff, right?
What’s particularly interesting, though, is that the normal intestinal bacteria in a separate group of previously lean mice remained stable until the mice were consistently fed a high-fat, high-sugar diet. At that point, the number of Bacteroidetes diminished and the Firmicute count became more abundant, and the mice fattened up considerably. This would seem to indicate that something in high-fat and/or sugar-laden foods may trigger mechanisms that shifts metabolism toward fat storage.
Whether these same digestive mechanisms are present in humans is not clear, but there is some evidence to suggest we’re not all that different from mice in this regard. Bottom line: It’s fine to occasionally indulge in your favorite foods, but limit the indulgences to one day a week. Cheating on your nutritional regimen is okay—perhaps even beneficial—provided it doesn’t become a habit.
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