Big Idea Daily | Always Hungry?
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Conquer Cravings, Retrain Your Fat Cells, and Lose Weight Permanentlyby David Ludwig |
“Foods with similar nutrients can affect hormones and metabolism in profoundly different ways, determining whether we store or burn calories, build fat or muscle, feel hungry or satisfied, struggle with weight or maintain a healthy weight effortlessly, and suffer from or avoid chronic inflammation.”DAVID LUDWIG |
BIG IDEA
Processed Carbs & Lightning Up Your Nucleus Accumbens
FROM THE BOOK“The results were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Similar to our first study, blood glucose and insulin levels were higher after the fast-acting milkshake for the first hour or two. But by four hours after consuming the fast-acting shake, blood glucose fell to lower levels and reported hunger was greater, compared to the slow-acting shake. At that time, we conducted brain imaging scans, using a technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The scans detected one brain region, called the nucleus accumbens, that lit up like a laser after the fast-acting shake. The effect was so strong and consistent, it occurred in every one of our participants, providing strong statistical confidence in the results. The nucleus accumbens is considered ground zero for reward, craving, and addiction—including alcohol, tobacco, and cocaine abuse. Activation of this brain region on a weight loss diet would erode willpower, making that sticky bun exceedingly hard to resist.
The concept of food addiction is controversial because, unlike substances of abuse, we need food to live. However, this study suggests that highly processed carbohydrates may hijack basic reward circuitry in the brain, not because they are inherently so tasty (both milk shakes had the same sweetness), but instead because of direct actions on metabolism. Hunger is hard enough to fight under any circumstances, but once the nucleus accumbens joins in, it’s all over.”
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Brian's Notes
One of the most important underlying themes of the book is the fact that all calories are NOT created equal.
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One of the dominant hypotheses among nutrition experts has been what is called the energy balance hypothesis in which, as the thinking goes, we simply need to balance the “calories in” with the “calories out.” Following this logic, we are told to eat less and exercise more and voilà! Ideal weight.
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That would be AWESOME if it worked. But, alas, it DOESN’T.
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And David Ludwig is one of the primary researchers to scientifically prove that it’s not quite that simple. (Although calories DO act the same in a vacuum, our bodies are not a vacuum…)
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Bottom line is this: Different types of calories effect us differently.
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Rather than the energy balance hypothesis of calories in, calories out, the more nuanced (and accurate) approach is described as the hormonal or metabolic hypothesis. In this model, we recognize and account for the different effects different types of calories have on our insulin + metabolism.
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In the research study above, Ludwig demonstrated this metabolic hypothesis by bringing twelve men with high BMI into his lab and giving them two different kinds of milk shakes—one containing corn syrup (a highly processed and fast-acting carbohydrate) and the other containing uncooked cornstarch (a slow-acting carbohydrate). Otherwise, the milk shakes were the same—with the same number of calories (important!), the same breakdown of fats, proteins, and carbs and similar sweetness (controlled for by artificial sweeteners).
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Then what happens?
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Well, blood sugar rises more rapidly with the fast-acting, more highly processed carbs and then drops more significantly after a few hours. AND, when placed in an fMRI after eating the fast-acting carbs we can see that our addiction centers known as the nucleus accumbens lights up “like a laser.” (← Amazing.)
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So, in addition to making you hungrier, you’re also now craving more of the fast-acting carbs. Not a winning combo.
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Compound that over an extended period of time? Enter: Metabolic disorders.
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Hence, Phase I of the program is to CONQUER YOUR CRAVINGS. You do this by removing the ultraprocessed carbs from your diet. More on that in a moment. First, a little more science.
Big Ideas
01: PROCESSED CARBS
02: LOW-FAT DIETS
03: LEARNING
04: THREE PHASES
05: THE PASSEGGIATA
“The usual ‘eat less, move more’ approach misses the root cause of weight gain, produces side effects, and is destined to fail for most people. In this way, low-calorie diets may actually make matters worse.”DAVID LUDWIG |
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