Battling the obesity epidemic (with dark chocolate)

Lindt 90% Cocoa Dark Chocolate

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tell us that we are suffering an obesity epidemic. “Obesity is common, serious, and deadly.” Forty percent of middle age adults are obese.  

While obesity may seem somewhat harmless, and is even normalized by Hollywood (Melissa McCarthy, “Mike and Molly”), obesity is anything but cuddly. “Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death.”

Further, it is very expensive. The Boston Globe recently decried that Massachusetts health care spending spiked 4.8% last year, an unsustainable rate. So it should concern us to learn that the CDC has identified the significant costs of obesity: “The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the U.S. was $147 billion… the medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight. “

It’s clear that if we can begin to reduce this plague of obesity, we would reap a number of benefits: longer life, better health, and reduced medical costs (both individually and socially).

But how to achieve that goal?

Again, the CDC: “The key to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight isn't short-term dietary changes; it's about a lifestyle that includes healthy eating and regular physical activity.”

We hear this more and more, from a variety of sources. Just get more exercise, bike, jog, or walk. And eat better.

Let’s focus on the latter point. A pair of recent studies reemphasize the importance of your microbiome, the trillions of bacteria resident in your gut.

In a study performed at the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands, researchers tracked the blood chemistry and gut microbes of 893 people. What they found was surprising. The kinds of bacteria in your gut can affect your weight and heart health. Additionally, according to Dr. Tara Narula, on “CBS This Morning,” "the more diverse your bacteria were, the better your HDL and triglycerides.”

In separate findings, several studies in the United States point to a complex relationship between diet, gut microbes, and immune system response. Science News reported on May 30 ”A tantalizing line of evidence suggests that unhealthful foods — fatty, salty, sugary, processed foods — may disrupt the body’s defenses in a way that promotes inflammation, infection, autoimmune diseases and even illnesses like cancer.” And the link to that result was gut bacteria.

The bottom line is that you are the caretaker of your microbiome. Trillions of bacteria in your gut depend on you to maintain their health and diversity. And report after report is confirming that if you take care of them, they will take care of you.

OK, simple enough. What do these little fellas like?

Well, it turns out they don’t like red meat. At least not regularly. But they do like dietary fiber. Dr. Narula, on CBS, urged us to eat less red meat and processed foods, and more fruits, veggies, and high-fiber foods. She also recommended probiotic foods containing bacteria, such as yogurt, fermented foods, and soft cheese.

Changing your diet to favor foods high in fiber is a key strategy to a happy microbiome. But there is lots of conflicting advice out there, and misleading claims and labels on food products. Harvard Health has come to your rescue. Using only two numbers from the nutritional label that adorns all retail food items, you can select those high in fiber. They call it the 10-in-1 rule and here’s how you do it:

1.       Locate the “Total Carbohydrates” number on the label. It will be in grams, for instance 23g.

2.       Immediately below that, find the “Dietary Fiber” number. Let’s say its 5g.

3.       Divide the Total Carbohydrates number by 10: 23/10 = 2.3

4.       Now compare that result to the Dietary Fiber number: 2.3 is less than 5.

This is a good selection for a high fiber diet. You could further shop around for another brand that offered an even better ratio. The lower, the better.

Here’s another example. A common brand of potato chips has these numbers:

·         Total Carbohydrates – 25g

·         Dietary Fiber – 2g

Nope – 25g divided by 10 is 2.5, and 2.5 is greater than the 2g of dietary fiber. This is not a good choice.

In addition to labels on food items at the grocery store, you can use the web to find the equivalent nutrition label for a variety of foods. What you will find might surprise you. Mashed potatoes have more dietary fiber than white rice. Brown rice is better than mashed. But a baked potato, skin on, dressed with olive oil and vinegar like a salad, is a sound high-fiber choice.

And then there are the real surprises. While candy and chocolate bars fail the fiber test miserably, there is an exception: a dark chocolate bar with 90% cocoa and minimal sugar qualifies as a high fiber food.

Yes, you can make both you and your microbiome happy. Good eating.