These are the foods that help you lose weight (and the foods that don't)

Most people assume that while trying to lose weight they should stay away from beer - but a new book disputes that.

In [The Diet Myth]1, Professor Tim Spector argues one cause of obesity are the microbes in your stomach - and warns processed foods such as sweeteners in diet fizzy drinks that many people buy when trying to lose weight can actually kill this bacteria which leads lead to weight gain.

"What is emerging is that changes in our gut microbe community , or microbiome, are likely to be responsible for much of our obesity epidemic, and consequences like diabetes, cancer and heart disease,” he told the Sunday Times (£). “It is clear that the more diverse your diet, the more diverse your microbes and the better your health at any age".

Instead Spector advises eating food which increase these microbes - notably dark chocolate, leeks, Belgian beer, celery, coffee and garlic.

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