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Hey Guys,
in his newest Talk, Dr. Robert Lustig talks again about his sugar hate
what I found interessting about this talk was the mention of inner and outer fat and how sugar creates this bad innerfat that makes you sick.
Im just curious what you guys think about this conept. This talk kinda makes me afraid of eating sugar again even though I’m aware of the benefits of it.
It’s undeniable that fructose can promote weight gain, but that might only be because it’s easy to overeat sugary foods. After I’m full from a meal, I can usually eat dessert without a problem, because the sweet taste “wakes up” my appetite.
It’s also true that fructose is metabolized differently from glucose, and maybe that matters too. I would think this would be most significant on a hypercaloric diet. If liver glycogen stores are already full, and you pour a bunch of extra fructose on the liver, maybe that does contribute to fatty liver.
On the other hand, people who exercise a lot (or otherwise stay in calorie balance) don’t seem to have a problem. The Kenyan marathon runners eat about 20% of their calories as pure sugar, and clearly they’re able to stay fit and athletic. In fact, the sugar should restore their liver glycogen faster than other carbs (because fructose goes straight to the liver), so I think sugar might provide an advantage for athletes.
I usually drink a soda every day and have some other sweet foods, and I’m still gradually losing weight and improving my fitness. However, I’m also exercising and watching my calorie totals, which I think is much more important than what kind of food you eat. So my own opinion is that sugar is perfectly fine unless you’re overeating and gaining weight, in which case it might be as damaging as Doc Lustig claims.
I’m more curious about the other effects of fructose. I read in several books, including “Good Calories, Bad Calories” that fructose is anywhere from 10-30 times more reactive in the body than regular sugar. I’m referring to the process of glycation. It is what originally made me so carb-phobic, and would love to hear Matt’s or other’s input on this. I’ll probably start a post on it.
I found this talk by Doug McGuff, M.D. a couple of years ago and have watched it a few times. You may enjoy it, too.
Paleo Diet & Strength Training Biochemistry:
If you want to skip to the biochemistry, go here:
“Med school biochemistry in a nut shell”
http://youtu.be/2PdJFbjWHEU’t=1h2m41sNote this comment about fructose:
“Fructose has the unique capability of still getting into the cell, but it doesn’t need Insulin to do so…”
http://youtu.be/2PdJFbjWHEU’t=1h19m40sHave you ever read any of Anthony Colpo’s work? If not, check-out http://anthonycolpo.com and search for the keyword “lustig.”
It doesn’t take much reading on Anthony’s site to realize he’s not a fan of Robert Lustig — or, Gary Taubes, Low-Carb Diets, Dr. Michael Eades, and others. I do find his writing compelling, though. Also, the writing often makes me laugh aloud, not unlike Matt’s writing.
Oh, here’s a tip about Anthony’s blog:
When reading a post, if the white text on black background makes your eyes go crazy (like it does for me), click the green “Print” button to show the article in black text on a white background.
Hey Simon,
Wow thanks for all the info. I only recently learned about Anthony, and yes he does have some interesting things to say. I’ll watch the videos you posted, soon. I’ve also been reading about Dr. Ray Peat and he absolutely sings the praises of fructose. Thanks again! =)It’s amazing how highly educated people can have wildly different opinions on this subject (fructose). And if PhD’s and doctors can’t come to any definite conclusions, how are normal people like us supposed to make sense of it. Lustig’s video is very compelling, but so is the info Ray Peat has on fructose, and he says it’s great. Who knows haha
So I didn’t watch every second of Dr. Lustig’s video, but I watched most of it. I’m not familiar with his work, in general, but it seems like he doesn’t so much have a problem with carbohydrates per se, but specifically high fructose corn syrup. In contrast, people like Matt (Stone) and Ray Peat are saying “eat TONS of glucose and fructose, they’re great!” Personally, after reading how much fruit juice Ray Peat drinks every day, I have to say I don’t believe the body needs, or can efficiently use, as many carbs as Dr. Peat and Matt are recommending. There HAS to be a consequence of eating too much. Matt says he’ll eat two or three hundred grams of carbs at a sitting, sometimes. Ray Peat will drink two or three quarters, I believe, of orange juice per day?? Where is the data showing your body needs anywhere NEAR that amount, or showing that eating that amount is completely safe? Those are my concerns.
Hey, Jman99:
You hit the nail on the head: So many experts, so many opinions.
That’s what really drove me crazy, because I wanted to know the one, universal truth for everyone. But, as I’m finally accepting, there doesn’t appear to be such a thing. It seems to be very individual. And, what may be true for me today may not be true next week.
Chris Kresser recently released a book titled “Your Personal Paleo Code” and it seems to be designed for people to do just that — personalize their diet.
http://my.chriskresser.com/books/yppc/
At this point, I’m pretty burnt-out on the health scene, so I’ve not read the book. But, the basic steps in the book are probably largely familiar to most of us that have found our way to Matt’s site.
1. Perform a 30-day elimination diet
2. Reintroduce one food at a time and track how you feel
3. Tweak as necessary (foods, supplements, sleep, etc.)Remember, if everything worked for everyone, there would be no overweight, underweight, or sick people in the world. It would be nice, though, if that were the case.
Be well,
Simon
Yah, I’ve gotten pretty burned out, too, because it seems after years of study and research, I still “know” absolutely nothing on this subject haha. I think here is what my diet will be for the forseeable future:
*avoid extremes. No HFCS, candy bars, etc.
*Eat some fruit or complex carbs with every meal. Plenty of meat and fat.
*take some antioxidants
*avoid PUFA’s (or at least the oils) like the plague, and use olive and coconut oils mainly. Nuts and seeds in moderation.I think I’ll just do that and see how it goes.
Jman99,
Oh, no, did you say antioxidants?! :)
Actually, your plan sounds like a reasonable place to start.
Take care,
Simon
haha wow, interesting article. Ok, maybe I’ll hold off on the antioxidants, except vitamin C. That’s needed for so many bodily functions.
Jman99,
I was just messing with you! : ) I mean, the article is real, but there’s always someone telling us why we shouldn’t do something.
As for vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, etc., getting them from food is always a good idea. That way, we’re getting all the other co-factors that scientists may not have even discovered yet.
That’s not to say that supplements can’t be useful, but knowing what to supplement and how much is the question.
I’ve been curious about these tests:
http://www.spectracell.com/patients/patient-micronutrient-testing/
http://www.exatest.com/Seems like these could provide some basis for making a decision.
Be well,
Simon
Yah I figured you were just messing with me. My thinking on the antioxidants is that, if I AM doing some damage without knowing it, that might undo some of it. Also, since I can’t afford to buy everything organic, it can help with some of the nutrients I may not be getting enough of. But those tests you mentioned do look interesting. I’ve considered doing something like that for a few years, but haven’t yet.
Thanks for the great discussion!
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