Dr. Robert Lustig, a paediatric endocrinologist, is fed up with our fixation with calories, which sometimes causes us to prefer low-calorie processed meals over high-calorie whole foods after years of treating patients with diet-related illnesses.
He told Insider that he used to believe the cliche “you are what you eat,” but that he no longer does.
“What I’ve learned now is that I was mistaken. You are the result of what they did to the food you eat “He stated.
Lustig analyses the industrialised food system and its influence on health in his latest book “Metabolical.” Lustig advises avoiding all ultra-processed snacks and meals since they are devoid of nutritional content and laden with hazardous chemicals.
His dietary suggestions promote gut and liver health by focusing on natural, unprocessed foods like vegetables, nuts, and lean meats while avoiding added sugar and junk food.
Reduce your intake of added sugar
The first component of Lustig’s catchphrase, “guard the liver,” largely entails keeping a close eye on your sugar consumption. Sugar is metabolised by the liver, and an excess of it can induce stress and cell damage owing to a build-up of chemical by-products, raising the risk of liver disease, heart disease, and metabolic problems.
Refined carbs can also be troublesome because digestion breaks them down into glucose or simple sugar.
According to Lustig, high-fructose corn syrup, which is prevalent in processed foods, is the main cause, but the evidence is still split on this issue.
Consume more nuts and leafy greens
The second component of Lustig’s healthy eating plan is to nourish the stomach. Fiber, a fibre found in plant foods such as vegetables, fruits, seeds, and nuts, is a vital component of a gut-friendly diet, according to him.
Fiber feeds the gut microbiota, which is made up of billions of friendly bacteria that dwell in your digestive tract. There is some indication that if those bacteria are deprived of fibre, they may begin to feed on your gut lining instead, tearing down good layers of mucus and causing digestive disorders.
Fiber consumption has been related to advantages such as a healthy weight, a steady metabolism, and a decreased risk of illness. The Mediterranean diet, which includes fresh vegetables, healthy grains, and seafood, is regarded as one of the healthiest eating regimens.
Consume adequate omega-3 fatty acids
Because nuts are heavy in fat and calories, diet culture and conventional nutrition have frequently criticized them.
However, according to Lustig, such narratives ignore the nutritional benefits of nuts. He contends that we should abandon all thoughts about calories in favour of liver and intestinal health.
“Nuts were once believed to be harmful, yet they’re one of the healthiest foods you can eat,” he added.
Similarly, eggs and fish are heavy in fat yet high in nutritious value. These foods include important nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, which Lustig claims many Americans do not get enough of.
Avoid eating processed foods
According to Lustig, anything heavy in sugar and low in fibre is the opposite of good eating. This includes most processed foods, which are prepared with preservatives to extend shelf life.
Previous research has revealed that processed foods are connected to health problems such as heart disease and cancer and that they can induce us to overeat by up to 500 calories each day.
According to Lustig, if you avoid certain items and obtain enough fibre, it doesn’t matter if your diet is low-carb, plant-based, or something else.
