Get rid of belly fat

Onions and leeks

While probiotics encourage the growth of good bacteria, prebiotics feed the ones you already have. When you eat prebiotic foods like onions and leeks, they produce butyrate, a metabolic wonder drug that improves insulin sensitivity and increases the amount of fat you burn, says Rafael Kellman, M.D., author of The Microbiome Diet.

Water with lemon

Nutritionists suggests sipping it as soon as you wake up and after each meal. “Bitter foods like lemon help stimulate your body’s GI juices and aid the start of the digestion process. When digestion is robust, your body breaks down food better and absorbs more of its nutrients, both of which help you maintain a healthy weight and flat belly.

Garlic

It seems counterintuitive to feed the microbiome foods with antimicrobial properties, but studies show that garlic only goes after bad, inflammation-causing bacteria while leaving good bacteria intact. It’s also rich in inulin, the fiber that helps the body digest food more efficiently and steadies blood sugar.

Yogurt

To get the most of this natural source of probiotics, seek out yogurts which contain lactobacillus. In a 24-week study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, women who consumed this type of probiotic lost twice as much weight as those who didn’t regularly include it in their diets.

Leafy greens

Bok choy, spinach, kale—they’re all winners. Not only are greens high in digestion-helping fibre, they also improve the diversity of healthy organisms in the gut, which needs trillions of good bacteria to function at its best. Look for ways to incorporate greens into every meal.