Fascinating findings on calories… are you getting more of them than you thought (want)?
What’s going on in your gut (intestines) may also be doing a number on your waistline—at least that’s what some new –pretty amazing research suggests. Here’s the buzz.
1) The bacteria that hang out in your intestine (there are hundreds of different types that do) may affect how you absorb the calories in food.
2) Eating highly processed foods vs. more “whole” foods may mean your body absorbs more calories.
Let’s tackle #1 first. Science says there are two main classes/categories of bacteria in your intestine: Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. People who are overweight have a greater proportion of the bacteria called Firmicutes. Lean people have more Bacteroidetes. Firmicutes seem to be able to extract more calories out of food and store those calories (as fat) more efficiently—a double whammy.
Animal research found that eating a high-fat, high sugar diet causes an explosion in the number of Firmicutes in the intestine. Eating a more plant-based diet that’s lower in sugary, fatty foods may mean fewer Firmicutes and more of the good guys—Bacteroidetes. It pays to get your diet going in the right direction. You might be able to keep the Firmicutes in check and by having a plate filled with more fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains, you’ll “feed” the good bacteria in your intestine. That too can help nudge out the bad guys.
Now for the second “a-ha” finding. A recent study looked at the calories participants absorbed from eating two different types of sandwiches—both containing the same number of calories but made from different foods. One sandwich was made with white bread and processed cheese. The other was made using a whole-grain bread and real cheese. Participants who ate the highly processed sandwich absorbed more calories from their sandwich than the group that ate the whole-grain version. Why? It takes more energy (calories) to digest whole foods vs. highly processed ones. Net out: fewer calories are absorbed by your body when you pick whole, less processed foods.
Chalk up 2 more reasons for enjoying whole, less processed foods. They make it a bit easier to keep that stylish figure.