Quitting Sugar - Part 3: One Of The Most Addictive Molecules To Your Brain Is...
Mar 11, 2021
by Stephen Conca
How to Quit Sugar Part 3: Fructose is one of the most addictive molecules that can ruin your health.
100 years ago there was very little sugar in the human diet. Now the average adult in the United States consumes around 60 kg of sugar per year and that's a very conservative estimate. Low-fat foods such as low-fat dairy, cookies, and granola are some of the worst. Dates contain about 70% fructose and other fruits such as watermelon and bananas are comprised mostly of fructose. Table sugar and high fructose corn syrup is about 50% pure fructose.
2 things happen when sugar hits your mouth
GLUCOSE molecules trigger the release of insulin. Insulin helps transport the sugar into cells for energy. If the body doesn't need the energy inside the cells, then insulin will help store the glucose for later in the form of glycogen in the muscle cells or fat, in adipocytes (fat cells).
When this is working well glucose and insulin team up to alert the brain that there is a sufficient amount of energy available. The brain turns off the hunger signal (ghrelin) and turns on the "I'm stuffed," signal which is leptin. You hopefully stop eating until the glucose supply is low again.
FRUCTOSE molecules DO NOT trigger the release of insulin. This starts the problem which leads to fat accumulation, specifically in and around the liver.
As I mentioned in the video, we have no off switch for fructose. The neurons in the brain that control hunger are not understanding what's happening when fructose hits the body. This is why there is no insulin released. Fructose causes a disruption in the insulin just enough that insulin does not perform its job properly.
When this happens it's described as being insulin resistant, which poses a major risk to health.
While this all happening, the liver is not getting any help processing the fructose so It turns most of the fructose directly into fat, and a small amount into uric acid. The liver is not meant to store fat so this can pose long-term health concerns.
Watch out! Lots of factors are contributing to how your body accumulates excess fat. Keep your eyes open, as FRUCTOSE is sometimes pitched as a health food.
Consumers are suggested to:
- drink all-natural fruit juice, instead of cola
- Eat fruit as a snack
- Eat low fat (it's usually loaded with sugar)
- Natural sweeteners such as agave syrup, are promoted as natural alternatives to artificial sweeteners
Fructose is fructose
What’s on the outside of the box doesn’t matter. Sugar in your coffee or tea, a glass of soda containing high fructose corn syrup, or a glass of fruit juice, honey on your oatmeal, it’s everywhere! Fructose is fructose.
Our bodies are not set up to handle large amounts.
Cut down on ALL sugars.
