Nutrigenomics is a blossoming new field that studies the genes associated with health and disease as well as obesity.
It is the study of how nutrients interact with our human genes.
We’re already aware that certain foods contain information and instructions for cells and hormones along with nutrients and calories. Now they are trying to find out how this information can turn on or off the expression of certain genes.
For example –
When you eat sugary types of foods a cascade of chemical and hormonal reactions are set off in the body. One of the side effects of this is it turns up the dial on your hunger thermostat which reprograms your level of hunger upwards. You not only experience increased hunger, you now experience increased cravings as well.
It’s a known fact that fructose (sugar) stimulates and turns on a gene-mediated “fat-storing switch.”
The results are…
A cascade of chemical reactions that play havoc with our bodies and health. Decreased HDL (good cholesterol) levels and increased LDL (bad cholesterol) levels, elevated blood fats (triglycerides), higher blood sugar levels and high blood pressure – all thing that lead to the condition known as metabolic syndrome.
Dietary carbohydrates, especially fructose, are also the primary source of a substance called glycerol-3-posphate (g-3-p), which causes fat to become fixed in fat tissue. At the same time, high carbohydrates raise insulin levels, which prevent fat from being released from the body’s cells.
Fructose further tricks your body, turning off your body’s appetite control/regulation system which results in feeling hungry all the time, even though you have eaten. You continue to overeat which causes you to not only gain excess body fat and weight but now you’ve opened the door to developing insulin resistance which is the precursor to not only diabetes, heart disease and cancer, but a long list of other chronic disease.
When we eat the wrong foods, particularly the wrong carbohydrates and turn on this “fat storing switch” it leads to weight gain, especially in the abdominal area. But the damage doesn’t stop there. It goes on to affect your health in other negative ways and can eventually lead to serious disease. Unfortunately, no amount of exercise or physical activity alone can compensate for this type of damage to the body cells and systems.
Fructose and the wrong types of carbohydrates, for example grains that break down into sugar in the body, lead to weight gain, obesity, weight loss resistance and on to other more serious health issues.
Becoming and staying overweight is not necessarily the result of eating too much food and calories but rather eating the wrong types of foods and getting calories from the wrong sources.
The truth is, the foods that are now making us unhealthy and overweight were not part of the diets of our ancient ancestors. These are modern varieties. They activate and program our bodies to continue to store fat rather than burn it and the only way off the merry-go-round is to get them out of our dietsl.
Isn’t it time you began introducing much ignored nutrient-dense super-star ingredients into all your dishes…including desserts?
To enjoy delicious, nutritious desserts and treats that contribute to your health – “50 Desserts with Hidden Veggies.” Inside you will discover no bake, Paleo friendly, no sugar, gluten free healthy sweet treat and dessert recipes…
