Gut Bacteria Might Be Making People Fat

The writer of this article made a terrible mistake in the first paragraph, and it's one that will mislead readers who continue to be confused by the "carbs are bad" misperception.

The mice who developed the "fat-inducing" gut bacteria were fed a diet high in FAT and SUGARS (sugars are a very simple form of carbs).

The mice who kept the "lean-inducing" gut bacteria were fed a diet LOW in FAT and HIGH in PLANTS. Plants are made up primarily of CARBS. They also contain protein, fats, and sometimes simple sugars (as in fruit), but by and large the plant world is made up of carbs. The key difference is that plants, in their relatively unrefined form as fed to the mice, are COMPLEX carbs.

This research may explain why people who eat a plant-rich diet based on complex carbs (potatoes, whole grain rice, corn, beans, plus fruits, & non-starchy vegetables) have an easier time staying lean than people who eat a diet based on high-fat foods (meats & fish, cheese, bread, vegetables cooked in olive oil, etc). And also perhaps why people eating a plant-based diet are documented to have such lower incidence of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc: perhaps their gut bacteria help them absorb more of the disease-fighting chemicals in plants.

tm of NC 9:06AM November 12, 2009