#632
Context: I accompanied Lalitha last evening to the Cold Oil press Shop for our Monthly purchase. Hence the blog.
I’ve been digging into what we eat lately, and it’s been a real eye-opener. After reading stuff like Dr. Robert Lustig’s work (Metabolical) and The Case Against Sugar, I’m convinced we need to rethink our food game. Ultra-processed junk, sugar that’s worse than cocaine, and artificial sweeteners that mess us up—time to talk about it! I’ve got some solid case studies to back this up, so let’s jump in, okay?
1. Ultra-Processed Foods: The Sneaky Trouble-Makers
You know those packets of chips, instant noodles, and ready-to-eat meals we grab when we’re in a rush? Ultra-processed stuff—full of chemicals, fake tastes, and zero goodness. They’re tasty, sure, but they’re bad news for our health—think weight gain, diabetes, and heart problems.
Case Study: The Hall Experiment (2019)
Dr. Kevin Hall in the US did a cool test: 20 people ate ultra-processed food (like our masala chips and frozen cutlets) or proper food (say, sambar and rice) for two weeks, then swapped. Same calories, but the processed group put on half a kilo—while the real-food group lost it! Why? Their hunger went haywire, and they ate 500 extra calories without even noticing. Gut health also took a hit. So, next time you’re eyeing that packet stuff, maybe go for home-cooked instead, no?
2. Sugar: Worse Than Cocaine for Addiction
Sugar isn’t just about rasam with extra jaggery or a post-meal sweet—it’s a proper addiction trap. Lustig says it’s a drug, and The Case Against Sugar calls it a slow killer we’ve all fallen for. Worse than cocaine? Yep, because it’s everywhere—soft drinks, desserts, even “healthy” snacks.
Case Study: Lenoir’s Rats (2007)
Some French researchers put rats to the test: sugar vs. cocaine. Guess what? The rats picked sugar water over cocaine every single time—even after getting hooked on the hard stuff. Why? Sugar blasts your brain’s happy spot harder, making you crave it more. Same with us—kids guzzling cola, us sipping sweet coffee—it’s setting us up for diabetes, fatty liver, and energy dips. Time to cut down, folks!
3. Artificial Sweeteners: Fake Sweetness, Real Damage
Okay, so you ditch sugar and grab a diet drink—smart move, right? Not really. Artificial sweeteners like the ones in “sugar-free” stuff promise no calories but mess with your body big time. Brain gets confused, gut goes off-track, and metabolism? Total chaos.
Case Study: Suez et al. (2014)
Scientists in Israel tested artificial sweeteners on mice and people. Mice eating this stuff got glucose issues—early diabetes signs—because their gut bacteria went nuts. Then, seven humans drank diet drinks for a week—same thing: blood sugar shot up, gut got messed. Compare that to plain water drinkers—no trouble at all. Lustig says it’s a trap: you skip sugar but still get whacked. Better stick to filter coffee with a little sugar than fake stuff, right?
4. Industrial Refined Vegetable Oils: The Hidden Gut-Buster
And then there’s the oil we cook with—those cheap refined vegetable oils like sunflower or soybean oil in every kitchen. They sound okay, but they’re trouble. Processed with heat and chemicals, they’re loaded with unhealthy fats—omega-6s—that throw your body out of whack. They mess up your gut by causing inflammation, killing off good bacteria, and letting bad stuff leak into your system. Over time? Heart disease, obesity, even joint pain. Compare that to coconut oil or ghee—our old-school options—and it’s no contest. Lustig would say it’s another industrial trick we’ve been sold, and it’s wrecking us quietly.
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