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THE OBESITY CODE COOKBOOK

Obesity is a hormonal disorder of fat regulation. Insulin is the major

hormone that drives weight gain, so the rational therapy is to lower

insulin levels. Most diets attack one part of the problem at a time, but

we don’t need to choose sides. Instead of targeting a single point in the

obesity cascade, we need multiple targets and treatments. Rather than

comparing a dietary strategy of, say, low calorie versus low carb, why not

do both? There is no reason we can’t. Here is a straightforward approach

to doing just that.

Step 1: Reduce your consumption of added sugars

Sugar stimulates insulin secretion, but it is far more sinister than that.

Sugar is particularly fattening because it increases insulin produc-

tion both immediately and over the long term. It is composed of equal

amounts of glucose and fructose, and fructose contributes directly to

insulin resistance in the liver. Over time, insulin resistance leads to

higher insulin levels. Carbohydrates, such as bread, potatoes, and rice,

contain mostly glucose and no fructose.

Therefore, added sugars such as sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup

are exceptionally fattening, far in excess of other foods. Sugar is uniquely

fattening because it directly produces insulin resistance. With no

redeeming nutritional qualities, added sugars should be one of the first

foods to be eliminated in any diet.

Many natural, unprocessed whole foods contain sugar. For example,

fruit contains fructose and milk contains lactose. But naturally occurring

and added sugars are distinct from one another. They differ in two key

respects: amount and concentration. Natural foods, with the exception

of honey, contain a limited amount of sugar. For example, an apple may

be sweet, but it isn’t 100 percent sugar. Some processed foods that use

added sugars, such as candy, are virtually 100 percent sugar.

Sugars are often added to foods during processing or cooking, which

presents dieters with several potential pitfalls. First, sugar may be added

in unlimited amounts. Second, sugar may be present in processed food