So, cautiously step by step, we’re emerging from lockdown, with its anxieties, comfort eating and limited exercise. No surprise perhaps that our summer clothes have shrunk in the wardrobe whilst we’ve been chilling in onesies?
So what’s it to be? Crash diet? Artificial sweeteners? Or salad and water until, well until that superhuman willpower melts in the face of the first ice-cream which calls our name?
Doomed? Fear not, hope is here, in the shape of Yaconviva Cacao Nibs – a sweet treat which really can be good for your waistline.
But how? Well, first a little science. I know, but it’s important, trust me.
Recent research shows that the tiny microbes (bacteria/viruses/fungi etc), which call our guts home, are far more influential than we realised. We have ten times as many bacteria in our gut than we have cells in our body. So our bacteria outnumber us by 10:1 – a compelling reason to ensure they’re friendly.
What do these microbes do? Well they help us digest some of our food, they produce chemicals and hormones, which keep our gut healthy, improve our immune system and even our mental health. Importantly the right microbes can help control ‘sugar spikes’ in our blood, hence reducing our risk of Type 2 Diabetes and obesity. There’s also emerging evidence that they benefit various gut diseases and even cancers – and some help cancer treatments such as immunotherapy to work better.
The key word is the ‘right’ microbes, and this is where probiotics and prebiotics come in. Probiotics, such as natural yoghurt, contain ‘good’ microbes, so eating them is a quick way to up numbers. However, once in your gut, they need to survive and multiply, and this is where prebiotics come in. These are foods, such as fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which provide nutrients for good microbes. FOS are present in some vegetables, such as onions and chicory root, and particularly in yacón – a root vegetable found in the Andes. The great thing about FOS is, they’re naturally sweet, but we don’t absorb them so they don’t make us fat or cause sugar spikes. The best news is they feed and encourage our ‘good’ gut microbes – unlike artificial sweeteners, which actually promote harmful microbes. You can read more about all this here.
A great source of FOS is pure organic yacón syrup available from YaconViva. It can be used as a sweetener in drinks, in baking, in deserts or anywhere else where you need added sweetness. Much better for you than artificial sweeteners.
But the product I really love is Yaconviva Cacao Nibs – all organic and a really yummy snack. They only contain yacón syrup and cacao nibs, so are vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free, plus they’re packed-full of antioxidants and contain natural caffeine. Give yourself and your gut microbes and taste of heaven every day – I plan to do exactly that.
Available from Amazon UK, and yaconviva.co.uk and good health stores.
RRP £9.99 for a 300g pack.
By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q
http://faitobooks.co.uk
Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.