In the past 50 years we have seen obesity levels triple. In 15 years time, 50% of the UK’s population is excepted to be overweight or obese. The typical advice of low fat, low calorie, eat in moderation simple doesn’t work. So what’s the problem?
Firstly, the unit of measurement almost everyone lives by is calories. Calories is a way of calculating the energy of a specific food group but it does not account for the effect the food has on your immune system, hormonal system and brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that help instruct your body in what to do.
Ingesting a cube of sugar, for example, will effect your insulin levels, blood sugar and neurotransmitters in a totally negative way as compared to a cube of broccoli, which will keep your blood sugar in balance.
When you eat too much sugar it causes insulin to rise, and this is what leads to accumulation of fat. How? Well, when you consume refined carbs such as sugar, your body makes fat cells called VAT or visceral adipose tissue. This ‘hungry fat’ sucks up all the food, i.e. glucose, in your blood stream and cries out for more, which starts you on the negative spiral towards weight gain. No wonder carbs are so addictive!
Too much insulin not only leads to weight gain over time, but to heart attacks, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, cancer and dementia. In short, eating a high carb, low fat diet slows down your metabolism. So, start eating good fat and, when it comes to sugar, just say no!
