Short Answer: You Should Cut Out Refined Sugars.
Long Answer
Over the years, many diets have come and gone and there is still plenty of debate over the current trends. Diets like paleo, low carb and ketogenic have been seen in a more positive light, but there is clearly no one solution that works for everyone.
Which Diet Works Then?
One thing Joe and Dr. Rhonda Patrick express in episode #1054 is the individuality of all people’s biomes. People are complex, and the inner workings of an individual’s biology is extremely vast and complicated. To think everyone in this world could do the same things and get the same results is silly.
However, there is one thing everyone could benefit from having less of- refined sugar. Refined sugar can raise insulin levels and cause stress and inflammation to the body. These are the body’s initial reaction to all disease processes.
What is The Difference Between Refined and Regular Sugar?
Refined sugars can generally be seen as unnaturally occurring sugars. If something has sugar put into it, the nature of the sugar will be refined. This is simply used to differentiate the sugars that naturally occur in foods such as fruits, which are fine and nutritious in moderation, as opposed to refined, or processed sugars, found in things like sodas, pastries and candies.
What Happens to My Body When I Have Too Much Sugar?
Dr. Rhonda Patrick lays out a pretty disturbing scenario in a very scientific way. I’ll go ahead and try to translate this in a very basic way. The bacteria in your body eats the left over fiber you don’t digest. If there is no fiber, it will begin to eat your protective gut lining and any sugar it can find. This will require your bacteria to travel to the sugar, which is not where the bacteria is supposed to be. This sets off an immune response, causing unnecessary stress and inflammation.
How Much Sugar Should I Have Then?
You should have no more than thirty six grams of sugar a day. If you can afford to have less, then do that. But most people don’t realize how little sugar this really is. One cup of yogurt, for example, can contain up to ten grams of sugar. If you count sugar throughout the day, it can easily add up, even when you’re eating relatively well.
