We have an obesity problem in this country. The prevalence of obesity in adults from August 2021 through August 2023 was 40%. The numbers are even more concerning for children. About 25% of children are obese and 40% are overweight!! This is a result of the sugar and processed poison foods on our shelves.
Obesity is a biochemical process. We are eating more today than we did 20-30 years ago. It’s not just that we are eating more, but it’s WHAT we are eating…which is more sugar and processed foods. These sugars such as fructose, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup are the cause of chronic illness in this country. Then there’s the diet or artificial sweeteners such as aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal), sucralose (Splenda), Saccharin (Sweet ‘N Low) stevia and monk fruit. There are actually 262 names for sugar!! And the food industry likes it that way.
Before food processing, we consumed our fructose from fruits and vegetables which are high in fiber. Then in 1982, the USDA and American Heart Association stressed the need to reduce the consumption of fat from 40-30% thinking that fats were the problem. It actually made our population fatter and caused more health problems! That’s because fat-free foods don’t taste good unless you add sugar. Fructose, especially high fructose corn syrup made its way into soft drinks and many foods that not only taste sweeter but are cheaper and have a long shelf life. This accelerated the fast food industry and processed foods became a staple in our homes and in our public schools.
Obesity is a biochemical process first and a behavioral problem second.
This combination of fructose and trans fats in packaged and fast foods are causing the obesity problem in this country. Obesity is a biochemical process first and a behavioral problem second. There is no life form that requires fructose. We have limited capacity to metabolize fructose much like alcohol. Fructose has no function in the body (different than glucose) and it has gone up 25 fold since the last century! Trans fats or hydrogenated oils found in processed foods have been known to raise “bad” cholesterol, lower “good” cholesterol and cause fatty liver disease. The FDA banned trans fats in food since 2020 but it can still be found in small amounts in packaged foods.
How does sugar and processed foods work in the body?
- It raises insulin which is a fat storage hormone and stores fat primarily in the liver if it is not burned. This rise in insulin causes several problems….
- It destroys the microbiome: it causes the semi-permeable membrane of the intestinal cells to break down and become more permeable and allow toxins to flow in the bloodstream. This leads to alot of inflammation. This is known as “leaky gut” and 93% of Americans have it.
- It damages 3 enzymes needed for mitochondria function. Mitochondria are the power houses in the cell used to make ATP energy. Its peak efficiency is the beacon of metabolic health. Its’ destruction and damage accelerates aging!!
- It is addictive by releasing the reward neurotransmitter center in the brain Dopamine, and makes us want to eat more.
- It inhibits the hormone Leptin that is released from adipose tissue that tells our brain we’ve had enough to eat. By causing leptin resistance and inhibiting this signaling, the brain thinks we are starving and we keep eating.
- As we make more fat, we make more inflammation since we release more cytokines from this fat storage endocrine system. This is the “belly fat” you see that comes out of nowhere. It is caused by high cortisol and stress. You can gain this fat (visceral fat) even if you are not eating because it is a metabolically active fat. This stress can come from poor sleep, unstable blood sugars, pain and inflammation and mental emotional stress like watching the news!
What to do?
Eat whole foods as much as possible..eat foods without a label (or less than 4 ingredients). If you do eat processed foods, make it less than 10% of your diet. Avoid sugars and processed foods as much as possible to get that insulin level down.
Stop alcohol- it’s like drinking sugar and it raises levels of insulin.
Feed your gut with healthy fiber and fermented foods. It helps your satiety and can balance your blood sugars. When you feed your gut, you feed your brain which helps your mood, mental clarity and energy.
Get good sleep. Manage stress. Meditate, do yoga, get out in nature and have a good support system. Limit the modifiable stressors in your life.
Reference: Excerpt from Huberman Lab podcast: Dr. Robert Lustig: How Sugar and Processed Foods Impact your Health. https://www.google.com/search?q=huberman+podcast+with+Dr.+Lustig+sugar+and+processed+foods&oq=huberman+podcast+with+Dr.+Lustig+sugar+and+processed+foods&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigAdIBCTIxMTQ3ajBqNKgCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8