Why Is Food Better with Hormones? (Really!) by Joan Kent, PhD
Focusing on the hormonal effects of the foods we eat is a better perspective than following the calories in / calories out myth. That myth is being disproven over and over these days — and yet some people continue to swear by it.
The calorie myth is just a way of minimizing the real effects of foods. Below are a few examples.
CCK
When we eat fats and/or protein foods, the body releases CCK. (The full name is cholecystokinin, so we’ll stick with CCK!)
Triggering CCK is almost magic. It makes us feel we’ve had enough food and don’t need more for a while. It decreases appetite for carbohydrates and stops carb cravings.
Insulin
When we eat starches (aka “carbs”), the pancreas releases insulin. Insulin is vital, but in excess can cause trouble. What can excess insulin do?
- It promotes fat storage, moving glucose into fat stores.
- It inhibits fat utilization (oxidation), so we burn carbohydrate for fuel instead.
- It promotes inflammation and is at the heart (!) of various metabolic conditions, all of which increase the risk of heart disease.
Glucagon
When we eat protein, the body releases glucagon. Glucagon moves fat from storage into the bloodstream, so it can be used for energy.
Those are only 3 of the hormones that respond to specific foods we eat. As you can see, there are benefits to managing these that make them more compelling than calories in / calories out.
Food is better with hormones.
If you’d like help with metabolic conditions, including diabetes, prediabetes or high blood pressure, I would love to help. Just visit www.LastResortNutrition.com and grab your free Power Eating Consult. Discover how easy it is to transform your health naturally with real foods. You got this!
Brought to you by Dr. Joan Kent, best-selling author of Stronger Than Sugar.
