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Nature Wants Us to Be Fat: The Surprising Science Behind Why We Gain Weight and How We Can Prevent--and Reverse--It
2022 NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARDS FINALIST — HEALTH: GENERAL
“It is exceptionally well organized and presented, making it an ideal and highly recommended addition to personal, community, college, and university library Health/Medicine collections.” —Midwest Book Review
Nature puts a “survival switch” in our bodies to protect us from starvation. Stuck in the “on” position, it’s the hidden source of weight gain, heart disease, and many other common health struggles. But you can turn it off.
Dr. Richard Johnson has been on the cutting edge of research into the cause of obesity for more than a decade. His team’s discovery of the fructose-powered survival switch—a metabolic pathway that animals in nature turn on and off as needed, but that our modern diet has permanently fixed in the “on” position, where it becomes a fat switch—revolutionized the way we think about why we gain weight.
In Nature Wants Us to Be Fat, he details the mounting evidence on how this switch is responsible both for excess fat storage and for many of the major diseases endemic to the Western world, including heart disease, cancer, and dementia. Dr. Johnson also reveals the surprising link between the survival switch and health conditions such as gout, kidney disease, liver disease, stroke—and even behavioral issues like addiction and ADHD. And, most important, he shares a science-based plan to help readers fight back against nature.
Guided by ongoing clinical research—plus fascinating observations from the animal kingdom, evolution, and history—Dr. Johnson takes you along on an eye-opening investigation into:
What you can do to turn off your survival switch
What we have in common with hibernating bears, sperm whales, and the world’s fattest bird
Why it’s fructose (not glucose) that drives insulin resistance and metabolic disease
The foods we eat that trigger the body to make its own fructose
The surprising role salt and dehydration play in fat accumulation
The surprising link between the survival switch and health conditions such as gout and liver and kidney diseases, and even behavioral issues like addiction and ADHD
Dr. Johnson not only provides new recommendations for how we can prevent or treat obesity, but also how we can use this information to reduce our risk of developing disease. Nature wants us to be fat, and when we understand why, we gain the tools we need to lose weight and optimize our health.
“It is exceptionally well organized and presented, making it an ideal and highly recommended addition to personal, community, college, and university library Health/Medicine collections.” —Midwest Book Review
Nature puts a “survival switch” in our bodies to protect us from starvation. Stuck in the “on” position, it’s the hidden source of weight gain, heart disease, and many other common health struggles. But you can turn it off.
Dr. Richard Johnson has been on the cutting edge of research into the cause of obesity for more than a decade. His team’s discovery of the fructose-powered survival switch—a metabolic pathway that animals in nature turn on and off as needed, but that our modern diet has permanently fixed in the “on” position, where it becomes a fat switch—revolutionized the way we think about why we gain weight.
In Nature Wants Us to Be Fat, he details the mounting evidence on how this switch is responsible both for excess fat storage and for many of the major diseases endemic to the Western world, including heart disease, cancer, and dementia. Dr. Johnson also reveals the surprising link between the survival switch and health conditions such as gout, kidney disease, liver disease, stroke—and even behavioral issues like addiction and ADHD. And, most important, he shares a science-based plan to help readers fight back against nature.
Guided by ongoing clinical research—plus fascinating observations from the animal kingdom, evolution, and history—Dr. Johnson takes you along on an eye-opening investigation into:
What you can do to turn off your survival switch
What we have in common with hibernating bears, sperm whales, and the world’s fattest bird
Why it’s fructose (not glucose) that drives insulin resistance and metabolic disease
The foods we eat that trigger the body to make its own fructose
The surprising role salt and dehydration play in fat accumulation
The surprising link between the survival switch and health conditions such as gout and liver and kidney diseases, and even behavioral issues like addiction and ADHD
Dr. Johnson not only provides new recommendations for how we can prevent or treat obesity, but also how we can use this information to reduce our risk of developing disease. Nature wants us to be fat, and when we understand why, we gain the tools we need to lose weight and optimize our health.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2022
299 people are currently reading
5658 people want to read
About the author
Richard J. Johnson
15 books37 followersRichard J. Johnson, M.D. is a practicing physician and clinical scientist who is internationally recognized for his seminal work on the role of sugar and its component fructose, in obesity and diabetes. His new book, Nature Wants Us to Be Fat, tells of the discovery of a biological switch that helps animals become fat and insulin resistant to help them survive periods of food shortage. Work led by the author and his research team have shown that this switch is turned on in many people and is playing a key role in the obesity epidemic. This has led to significant breakthroughs in both understanding the cause of obesity as well as how to prevent or treat it. His science is highly regarded and highly cited, and he has published over 700 papers. He previously authored The Sugar Fix with Timothy Gower in 2008 (Rodale) and The Fat Switch in 2012 (Mercola.com) He is currently a Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado in Denver. He lives in Aurora, Colorado with his wife, Olga, children, Tracy and Ricky, and two miniature golden doodles
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
January 29, 2022
This was a fascinating book, one of my favorite science/health books that I've read in a while. Johnson talks about how animals in nature use fructose in order to trigger the "survival switch" that tells their bodies to slow their metabolism and put on weight to prepare for hardship, starvation or emergencies. Bears gorge on berries to prepare for hibernation, hummingbirds eat so much nectar all day that they end each day in a diabetic state in order to survive until morning, and so on. The problem is that our modern diets are extremely high in fructose through things like high fructose corn syrup and also that we can easily convert refined carbs into fructose to trigger our survival switch, so we have developed eating styles that keep us with our survival switches permanently switched on. He also talks about some other things that trigger it, such as being dehydrated and taking in too much salt.
One thing I love about the book is that Johnson and his colleagues have been doing numerous scientific studies on this stuff for years. They have done studies on mice, fruit flies and people in order to study exactly how things like fructose, glucose, levels of uric acid, dehydration, etc. affect whether we put on weight, enter states of metabolic disorder, and so on. It's rich with science that is accessible, interesting and thought provoking.
The last third of the book is Johnson's specific advice about what to eat and supplements that can help. He also talks about how we can create new mitochondria through vigorous exercise, how to go back to previous weights, how various diets like keto and paleo compare in terms of the survival switch, and more. His recommended diets are very doable in my opinion, but I happily follow a clean, plant-heavy keto diet so I may have different opinions about how easy it is to follow diets. :) His switch diet is easier than a traditional keto diet (there are similarities), and you don't have to worry about counting calories or any of that with it (as with keto).
I read hundreds of books a year with a special interest in science and health. I always know I'm reading a good one if I end up rambling all about its ideas to my family members. My husband and several of my kids have heard all about this one. :) Well recommended.
I read a digital ARC of this book via Net Galley.
One thing I love about the book is that Johnson and his colleagues have been doing numerous scientific studies on this stuff for years. They have done studies on mice, fruit flies and people in order to study exactly how things like fructose, glucose, levels of uric acid, dehydration, etc. affect whether we put on weight, enter states of metabolic disorder, and so on. It's rich with science that is accessible, interesting and thought provoking.
The last third of the book is Johnson's specific advice about what to eat and supplements that can help. He also talks about how we can create new mitochondria through vigorous exercise, how to go back to previous weights, how various diets like keto and paleo compare in terms of the survival switch, and more. His recommended diets are very doable in my opinion, but I happily follow a clean, plant-heavy keto diet so I may have different opinions about how easy it is to follow diets. :) His switch diet is easier than a traditional keto diet (there are similarities), and you don't have to worry about counting calories or any of that with it (as with keto).
I read hundreds of books a year with a special interest in science and health. I always know I'm reading a good one if I end up rambling all about its ideas to my family members. My husband and several of my kids have heard all about this one. :) Well recommended.
I read a digital ARC of this book via Net Galley.
March 7, 2022
It's a book about fructose and obesity. The premise I understood is that if you follow this author's particular suggested diet you'll lose weight. I was surprised that the author decided to suggest a weight loss strategy in this book. But perhaps the audience is someone who would search a book on how to lose weight. I thought the overall message that fructose is now the problem as opposed to fat in the 1970s or carbs in the 1980s and inactivity in the 1990s and back to carbs now - well, it just didn't sell me on a new diet, yet again.
Sugar and salt make you fast is another important note I made for myself when reading this book. I think it makes sense. But the author forgot that my skinny ass is also reading this book. If I didn't consume carbs (sugar?) and salt then I would perhaps disappear altogether. Based on the metabolic markers I'm aware of I am healthy. He discussed uric acid as well in-length but the discussion still wasn't convincing enough for me to want to do anything to lower someone's uric acid.
The author lumped fructose from processed food in with all fructose without distinguishing it from fruits. Well, he tried to but I think there wasn't enough of a focus. Again, the audience is someone who is suffering obesity and the title is therefore misleading for this book. I would have thought the editor would have helped break the message down based on the target audience. All the pieces were there to make this book really good.
I felt that the dieting suggestion should have been left for another book.
I took this other note for myself: "Likely a book written by someone who will be profiting from trying to develop something to block some pathway". And halfway into the book the author did mention exactly that - he is developing something in his lab to block some pathway in fructose production or excretion or something fructose related. It's not that this is bad but there was no discussion as to why. If this same author went on to suggest a diet in the end of his own book, why develop this pathway blocking molecule?
I felt the book was a bit boring to listen to. The content was really good - as in the fact were interesting. But really, another lab dude killing thousands if not millions of mice in a lab to prove that intervention A leads to outcome B? Really? I'm not a mouse. Leave the poor fucking rodents alone. It's just a way for these researchers to make more money by getting research dollars. If after all this rodenticide you figured out that HFCS leads to obesity I think you could have done more with your time. Yes, the point about the fructosamine production isn't lost on me. The liver uptake and fatty liver discussion - I get that. But if in the end you're just going to tell me that I shouldn't eat HFCS, we're past that. Those who aren't able to digest that message have far more difficult circumstances that those of privilege have a hard time understanding. The message of "cut out soda" won't cut it. I know, we've tried.
As far as the study designs, if you wanna really be blown away, yes, this dude definitely designed some incredible research experiments. But this is only so if you are rather research naive and don't realize that you can order any mouse with almost any kind of gene knockout you like.
The discussion about artificial sweeteners was I think something the editor asked the author to include. It was superficial, not well researched, it didnt' have any depth, and I would go as far as to say that it was contradictory to the message and problem of fructose.
The switch diet is clever and I know the intention of the author is in the right place. But I think this could have been a little better teased out with the input of someone who understand human psychology and behavioral modification techniques. Atomic Habits is a good primer on the topic. It takes buy-in from the patient and as a book author you can't suggest a diet for the masses. It would have been great to see the author break his audience up into those who could connect with their own stereotype and then make suggestion for them. It wouldn't have added too much volume and still could have been interesting.
The suggestion to take vitamin C daily - that's the kind of stuff where I felt like the book was just rushed to print. Here is this brilliant researcher who hasn't fully researched or at least isn't reporting the current evidence on supplemental vitamin C. I could be wrong, he might be right, everyone should take vitamin C. But I just didn't feel that he had any argument for it nor did it fit into this book.
If you are going to read this book to figure out if fruit is bad or good for you - maybe you'll get a smidgen of insight. I didn't and that's why I rented the book from the library.
If you read it to lose weight, it's nothing you haven't heard before. Start with keto and go to low-fructose and avoid too much salt.
Sugar and salt make you fast is another important note I made for myself when reading this book. I think it makes sense. But the author forgot that my skinny ass is also reading this book. If I didn't consume carbs (sugar?) and salt then I would perhaps disappear altogether. Based on the metabolic markers I'm aware of I am healthy. He discussed uric acid as well in-length but the discussion still wasn't convincing enough for me to want to do anything to lower someone's uric acid.
The author lumped fructose from processed food in with all fructose without distinguishing it from fruits. Well, he tried to but I think there wasn't enough of a focus. Again, the audience is someone who is suffering obesity and the title is therefore misleading for this book. I would have thought the editor would have helped break the message down based on the target audience. All the pieces were there to make this book really good.
I felt that the dieting suggestion should have been left for another book.
I took this other note for myself: "Likely a book written by someone who will be profiting from trying to develop something to block some pathway". And halfway into the book the author did mention exactly that - he is developing something in his lab to block some pathway in fructose production or excretion or something fructose related. It's not that this is bad but there was no discussion as to why. If this same author went on to suggest a diet in the end of his own book, why develop this pathway blocking molecule?
I felt the book was a bit boring to listen to. The content was really good - as in the fact were interesting. But really, another lab dude killing thousands if not millions of mice in a lab to prove that intervention A leads to outcome B? Really? I'm not a mouse. Leave the poor fucking rodents alone. It's just a way for these researchers to make more money by getting research dollars. If after all this rodenticide you figured out that HFCS leads to obesity I think you could have done more with your time. Yes, the point about the fructosamine production isn't lost on me. The liver uptake and fatty liver discussion - I get that. But if in the end you're just going to tell me that I shouldn't eat HFCS, we're past that. Those who aren't able to digest that message have far more difficult circumstances that those of privilege have a hard time understanding. The message of "cut out soda" won't cut it. I know, we've tried.
As far as the study designs, if you wanna really be blown away, yes, this dude definitely designed some incredible research experiments. But this is only so if you are rather research naive and don't realize that you can order any mouse with almost any kind of gene knockout you like.
The discussion about artificial sweeteners was I think something the editor asked the author to include. It was superficial, not well researched, it didnt' have any depth, and I would go as far as to say that it was contradictory to the message and problem of fructose.
The switch diet is clever and I know the intention of the author is in the right place. But I think this could have been a little better teased out with the input of someone who understand human psychology and behavioral modification techniques. Atomic Habits is a good primer on the topic. It takes buy-in from the patient and as a book author you can't suggest a diet for the masses. It would have been great to see the author break his audience up into those who could connect with their own stereotype and then make suggestion for them. It wouldn't have added too much volume and still could have been interesting.
The suggestion to take vitamin C daily - that's the kind of stuff where I felt like the book was just rushed to print. Here is this brilliant researcher who hasn't fully researched or at least isn't reporting the current evidence on supplemental vitamin C. I could be wrong, he might be right, everyone should take vitamin C. But I just didn't feel that he had any argument for it nor did it fit into this book.
If you are going to read this book to figure out if fruit is bad or good for you - maybe you'll get a smidgen of insight. I didn't and that's why I rented the book from the library.
If you read it to lose weight, it's nothing you haven't heard before. Start with keto and go to low-fructose and avoid too much salt.
December 23, 2021
This is an interesting book! There's a lot of information I haven't seen elsewhere. I was easily able to maintain a size 6 until I hit my 40s. I haven't seen size 6 since entering my 40s, so I thought I'd read this book. I plan to read through it a second time because there really was a lot of thoughtful information to digest (pun intended!).
February 19, 2024
Kind of a goofy title to pick for this important look at obesity but it carries Dr Johnson's idea across, that our human genetics include a 'survival switch' that stores up fat in times of plenty, believing that times of starvation are just around the corner. But with abundant food available for most of us, those lean times never come and the weight piles on. He also lays out the science of why sugars, salt, umami carbs, as well as dehydration, drive the chemical processes that are behind the many metabolic diseases that plague us and how to reverse those effects.
He also has three podcasts on YouTube that cover the information in this book, beginning with: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAjC_...
He also has three podcasts on YouTube that cover the information in this book, beginning with: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAjC_...
January 28, 2022
I loved this great explanation of sugar, fructose, uric acid and the evolution of our fat switch. Dr. Richard Johnson is a great story teller who breaks down the science into very understandable terms. I originally read Dr. Johnson's prior book The Fat Switch and knew that this follow up book with the latest science would be just as good if not better.
Dr. Johnson not only explains how nature has designed us to store fat and create a survival switch, he also gives great lifestyle tips and hacks on how to turn the switch off and keep it off.
I can highly recommend this book and promise you won't be disappointed.
Dr. Johnson not only explains how nature has designed us to store fat and create a survival switch, he also gives great lifestyle tips and hacks on how to turn the switch off and keep it off.
I can highly recommend this book and promise you won't be disappointed.
June 10, 2022
This is Nonfiction/Health. I liked this author's explanation of what the "survival switch" is. He kind of put a different spin on the reason obesity has become such an epidemic...even globally.
I like that there was plenty of food for thought in this one. I feel though, that I need to listen to the audio again because there was so much that made me want to pause and ponder. I think I need more processing time. So 4 stars for this one.
I like that there was plenty of food for thought in this one. I feel though, that I need to listen to the audio again because there was so much that made me want to pause and ponder. I think I need more processing time. So 4 stars for this one.
October 13, 2024
Studying nutrition had been a passion of mine for years. Gary Taubes, Jason Fung, and many others have all been circling around the root cause of obesity in modern society, but I'm convinced that Richard Johnson has really pulled it all together.
The information in this book gets 5 stars, but the quality of the writing is only 2.5 stars. The author is an exceptional scientist and researcher, not an exceptional writer. Everyone should read this book, but just go into it with the purpose of gaining knowledge, not being blown away by wonderful prose.
It all just makes so much sense. It explains
-why it's harder to stay lean when we get older.
-Why athletes seem like they can eat anything they want.
-Why most traditional calorie restrictions diets are so hard to maintain, and why the weight comes back on.
-why keto, low-carb, and paleo diets have had so much success, but might be more restrictive than necessary
- Why getting fat makes total sense from an evolutionary perspective
- How the whole approach is still totally consistent with thermodynamics, and the equation "Calories in minus calores out equals weight gained" is still true.
Although it's definitely written for the lay person, there's still lots of discussion about enzymes, ATP, mitochondria, and chemical names of sugars and their metabolic byproducts.
The information in this book gets 5 stars, but the quality of the writing is only 2.5 stars. The author is an exceptional scientist and researcher, not an exceptional writer. Everyone should read this book, but just go into it with the purpose of gaining knowledge, not being blown away by wonderful prose.
It all just makes so much sense. It explains
-why it's harder to stay lean when we get older.
-Why athletes seem like they can eat anything they want.
-Why most traditional calorie restrictions diets are so hard to maintain, and why the weight comes back on.
-why keto, low-carb, and paleo diets have had so much success, but might be more restrictive than necessary
- Why getting fat makes total sense from an evolutionary perspective
- How the whole approach is still totally consistent with thermodynamics, and the equation "Calories in minus calores out equals weight gained" is still true.
Although it's definitely written for the lay person, there's still lots of discussion about enzymes, ATP, mitochondria, and chemical names of sugars and their metabolic byproducts.
April 18, 2022
Interesting book, decently written for most of it, but eyes start to glaze over at an endless stream of experiments on rats. But the central hypothesis of the book, that there is a 'survival switch' which, in basic terms, makes us ultra-efficient at processing/storing calories (and in particular, sugars, namely fructose) - an advantage in the Savannah but not in the modern world with abundant food - is a relatively well worn argument, as are Johnson's remedies (Med diet or low carb diet, and exercise).
June 10, 2022
This author has some pretty compelling evidence for what he and his team are calling the "survival switch." It maybe be the cause for obesity, diabetes, heart disease metabolic syndrome and all the other non-communicable diseases plaguing our society. That we have such an abundance of "food" containing fructose (and some others that trigger the body to produce it's own fructose) in the western diet that we have left the switch to on all the time. So our bodies are preparing for hard times that never come. Very interesting! I listened to this on audible.
February 4, 2022
There’s a lot of information to digest in this book so it took me a few weeks of reading on and off to finish. What I found most interesting was the author’s thoughts on the “survival switch” and how animals in nature use fructose to trigger that switch to prepare for hibernation or emergency, whereas many humans live in a way where their “survival switch” is permanently on. Thanks so much to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
January 20, 2022
Outstanding book! In his book Nature Wants Us to Be Fat, Dr. Richard Johnson explains why we gain weight and what we can do to reverse this weight gain helping us to become healthier. Based on research, this well written easy-to-understand book is a groundbreaker. I highly recommend this book for those who care about their health and want to feel better.
March 20, 2022
This is the worst kind of book Because the first 80% are full of interesting ideas and data but the end makes more than a few stupid ass statements.
Now I have to reconsider if the writers ideas are even credible. Possibly ruining most of the book due to lack of confidence. What a dilemma. Thanks for the first 80%. A lot of stuff I did not know there. Hopefully most of it is legit.
Now I have to reconsider if the writers ideas are even credible. Possibly ruining most of the book due to lack of confidence. What a dilemma. Thanks for the first 80%. A lot of stuff I did not know there. Hopefully most of it is legit.
June 30, 2022
Overall very interesting and well presented. I think the author fairly presented the science--whether it was based on animal studies or humans, how broadly we could or couldn't make interpret results, and what needed to be proven next.
July 27, 2022
Found this author through a podcast. Probably the best nutrition related book I’ve ever read (although I listened to it on Audible). Super sciencey, a bit heady and redundant at times, but I came away with so much knowledge and some tips to try in my daily habits. Highly, highly recommend!
April 16, 2022
The case for the fat-switch has been put in the evolutionary context. The dietary changes and the minimum exercise recommendations, in the end, are a piece of great advice.
June 2, 2022
Really educational. Worth reading, especially for those who struggle with their weight.
Read
June 21, 2023Excellent book
October 13, 2024
Lots of helpful information here. This book, as well as several others that I have been reading have changed my view on nutrition, and for that I am so thankful.
Here are some of my favorite quotes.
Why are People Hungrier than Before?
“The main reason people are eating more today is that many of us, and especially those of us who are overweight or obese, tend to be hungrier than usual because we do not get a sensation of being full after we have eaten. Normally, we get a sensation of satiety after a meal because a hormone called leptin tells a region in the brain called the hypothalamus to signal us to stop eating. Leptin is secreted by fat cells, and levels vary in relation to insulin levels and BMI. However, people who are overweight respond poorly to the leptin signal, something called leptin resistance, and so remain hungry longer. (This also explains why restaurants give us larger plates of food now than they did a few decades ago—not because they want us to feel we are getting a better deal, but because they know we will leave hungry if they don’t.) People are eating more and exercising less, and this is causing obesity—but not solely because of bad habits. Most people with obesity are resistant to leptin, impairing their ability to control their hunger, and many have reduced metabolism, especially at rest.”
Fruit
“… something present in fruit may be a means for triggering weight gain and fat.”
Leptin Resistance
“One of the main ways animals control their weight is through the actions of a hormone known as leptin. Leptin, which you’ll recall is released from fat cells, is what tells our brain we are full. However, it has been shown that, when gaining weight in preparation for hibernation in the fall, bears become resistant to leptin’s effects. People who are overweight or obese also are commonly resistant to leptin. This leptin resistance results in persistent hunger, such that bears and people alike eat more than they need, resulting in weight gain. Our research group, working with physiologist Philip Scarpace, was able to show that when animals in the lab are given a high-fructose diet, they become leptin resistant, although it can take several weeks to months. Once the animals are leptin resistant, they get hungrier, eat more food than they need, and gain weight. Notably, the leptin resistance also persists for several weeks after the fructose in their diet is taken away. There are two caveats here worth highlighting. First, being leptin resistant by itself does not mean you will gain weight. If you are leptin resistant but do not consume additional calories, either because food is not available or because you are able to overcome the biological impulse to eat (a difficult thing to do!), you will not gain weight; you will simply stay hungry. Second, the amount of weight you gain when you are leptin resistant depends on the type of food you eat. For example, if the food you eat is high in calories, as with fatty foods, you will gain more than if the food is low in calories.”
Blood Uric Acid Levels
“Most adults with obesity have blood uric acid levels of 6 mg/dL or more, versus the 4 to 5 mg/dL found in most lean individuals.”
Glycemic Load
“Some high-glycemic carbs include rice, potatoes, bread, cereals, and chips; low-glycemic carbs include most nonstarchy vegetables (such as broccoli and asparagus), salad vegetables (such as lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes), beans and legumes (such as lentils), and seeds and nuts. There is one other factor to consider, however, and that is whether a food has a high glycemic load. This takes into account not only how likely the food is to raise your blood glucose (that is, its glycemic index), but also how much carbohydrate a normal portion of the food contains. Watermelon, for example, has a high glycemic index, but one slice will not raise your glucose too high, because there are not many carbohydrates in that single slice; it has only a moderate glycemic load. Spaghetti, on the other hand, has only a modest glycemic index, but because people often eat a lot at one sitting, it can easily raise glucose levels high enough to activate the survival switch.”
Hypertension
“… our research shows that it is not really the amount of salt that is important in driving blood pressure, but the balance of salt and water. Accordingly, if we can keep fructose intake low, and drink plenty of water to help prevent our blood salt concentration from getting high, we have a good chance of preventing hypertension without restricting salt too severely.”
Fructose in Fruit
“Whole fruits contain substances that tend to block the effects of fructose, such as vitamin C, plant compounds known as flavonoids, potassium, and fiber. Kiwi, for example, is low in fructose and high in vitamin C. Blueberries and strawberries are especially high in flavonoids. Cherries contain additional substances that can lower uric acid. Many fruits, as well as vegetables, are also rich in soluble fiber, which can reduce or slow the absorption of fructose, and therefore reduce or slow its metabolism. Still, I recommend limiting intake of fruits with high fructose content (>8 g/serving), perhaps by having only a half-serving at a time, and instead choosing fruits with lower fructose content. I would eat figs sparingly, for they have the highest fructose content of all fruits.”
“Consider vegetables fructose free. Eat fresh fruits, but limit the total fructose of the fruit you consume in a given meal or snack to 8 grams. Dried fruits, processed foods containing fruits, fruit-based jams and jellies, and juices can contain a lot of fructose. While an apple a day keeps the doctor away, five apples a day and the doctor you’ll pay.”
Liquid Sugar
“Liquid sugar is a bigger culprit than solid sugar, and guzzling down a soft drink is the most powerful way to activate the survival switch. Avoid all sugary soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit juice, and sugary teas and coffee. If you must indulge, drink slowly and be sure to pair with food.”
“When it comes to soft drinks, if you must drink them, slow is safer than fast.”
Low-Fat Diets are Only Effective When …
“On a low-carbohydrate diet (and therefore a diet that is low in fructose and high-glycemic carbohydrates), the survival switch is turned down, and you are less hungry. Therefore, even though your diet may be high in fat, you will not gain weight. This is also why a low-fat diet only results in weight loss if you also include calorie restriction as part of the diet, whereas on a low-carb diet, calorie restriction (i.e., avoiding fat) is not required. Fructose is the criminal. Fat is only an accomplice.”
Exercise and Other Specifics
“What is the best type of exercise to improve mitochondrial function? Many studies have examined this. First, it needs to be an endurance type of exercise, such as walking, exercising on a treadmill, swimming, or cycling, as opposed to a non-endurance activity like weight lifting. Second, it is most effective if you are either fasting or do not eat any carbohydrates before the exercise. Third, the exercise has to be sustained for at least one hour, and be done at least three or four times a week. This is because it takes some time to activate the process of mitochondrial growth, and exercising less than thirty minutes at a time rarely achieves this.”
“The right exercise intensity should allow you to maintain a conversation, but with some degree of difficulty. If you can speak and breathe while exercising almost as well as you can at rest, then you are going too easy. If you can’t maintain a conversation, then you are exercising too hard.”
“While the most accurate approach to determining the right exercise intensity is to buy your own lactate kit and measure your lactate level, there are also some tricks to achieving the exercise intensity you want. The simplest (and the one that Iñigo recommends) is considering the intensity of your breathing and your ability to talk. The right exercise intensity should allow you to maintain a conversation, but with some degree of difficulty. If you can speak and breathe while exercising almost as well as you can at rest, then you are going too easy. If you can’t maintain a conversation, then you are exercising too hard.”
“I recommend three or four servings of whole fruit each day, ideally separated. Fruits containing more than 8 grams of fructose per serving should be limited, or eaten in half-serving quantities. Dried fruits and fruit juices should only be eaten sparingly, if at all. Jams, jellies, applesauce, and other foods with concentrated fruits should generally be avoided, but you can review the amount of total sugars per serving on these products’ nutrition labels. If a serving contains fewer than 8 grams of total sugar, it represents 4 grams of fructose or less and is fine to eat. Sugar-free jams and jellies are permitted. I recommend reducing high-glycemic carbohydrates, including rice, bread, potatoes, refined cereals, and large portions of pasta. Having a continuous glucose monitor can be helpful in determining how you individually respond to these foods; your goal is to keep your blood glucose level less than 120 mg/dL after a meal. In contrast, low-glycemic carbohydrates—especially vegetables and high-fiber foods—are generally recommended. One to two slices of whole grain breads and steel cut oats with minimal added sugars can be eaten daily.”
“There are a few things other than exercise that can stimulate the production of energy factories lost from chronic activation of the survival switch. One is intermittent fasting, as discussed earlier. There is also some evidence that you can stimulate the growth of mitochondria with specific supplements (sometimes referred to as ‘exercise in a bottle’). One of the more potent ways of stimulating mitochondrial growth is by taking an epicatechin supplement. As you may recall, this is the substance present in dark chocolate and in the bitter cocoa that helped protect the Guna from obesity. It is also present in the seeds of the Brazilian guarana fruit. Aztec runners, famous for transmitting messages more than 250 miles in less than a day, were known for drinking large amounts of bitter cocoa, which may help explain their record distance runs. Green tea contains a similar but less potent substance known as epigallocatechin. Both dark chocolate (chocolate with 70 percent or higher bitter cocoa content) and green tea may therefore be beneficial for mitochondrial function. Other supplements are often used to boost mitochondrial function, such as carnitine and co-enzyme Q, but whether these supplements can help increase mitochondrial number has not, to my knowledge, been determined. You should also take care to avoid supplements that might impede your efforts to rehabilitate your energy factories. Supplemental antioxidants such as N-acetyl cysteine, alpha lipoxin, and vitamin C, while beneficial in blocking the oxidative stress that causes mitochondrial injury, ironically may also interfere with the rebuilding of mitochondria. So while I recommend vitamin C supplements for people who are at their desired weight and
want to block activating the survival switch, I would not take this supplement in doses above 500 mg/day if you are trying to lose weight. Here the main goal is to increase your mitochondria, and some studies suggest that vitamin C doses of 1,000 mg/day may hinder that process despite having benefits for metabolic syndrome in general. Overall, exercise remains the most established and proven way to improve your energy factories. My main recommendation is to walk fast, cycle, or run such that you pass the simple conversation test and to do this several times a week.”
“Severely restricting intake of high-glycemic carbohydrates, particularly rice, potatoes, bread, chips, and cereals.”
“Eating an ounce of dark chocolate daily.”
Vitamin C
“Today, the loss of our ability to make vitamin C has made us more susceptible to becoming fat from fructose. The loss of the ability to make vitamin C was beneficial for early primates struggling to survive the great extinction that killed the dinosaurs because it allowed them to generate more fat despite dwindling amounts of fruit. Today, however, the loss of vitamin C makes us more susceptible to sugar’s fat-storage effects. Indeed, many studies have confirmed that overweight people tend to have low vitamin C levels in their blood. There are also many intriguing pilot studies showing that administering vitamin C can improve features of metabolic syndrome in both animals and humans.”
“Many studies have shown that people who are overweight or who have metabolic syndrome tend to have lower blood levels of vitamin C. There are also studies that suggest increasing vitamin C intake reduces the risk for developing metabolic syndrome. In particular, vitamin C dosages of 500 mg daily have been reported to improve blood pressure, reduce blood triglycerides, increase HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol), and lower BMI in several studies. Interestingly, giving fruit juice does not seem to be as effective as taking vitamin C supplements, which makes sense, as fruit juice is also rich in fructose.”
“I recommend supplemental vitamin C, which helps block the switch, both by stimulating the excretion of uric acid in the urine and blocking the effects of uric acid on the body’s energy factories. Limit the dose to 500 mg to 1,000 mg daily, as higher doses can be associated with an increased risk of kidney stones—another reason to stay well hydrated, as hydration reduces this risk.”
Here are some of my favorite quotes.
Why are People Hungrier than Before?
“The main reason people are eating more today is that many of us, and especially those of us who are overweight or obese, tend to be hungrier than usual because we do not get a sensation of being full after we have eaten. Normally, we get a sensation of satiety after a meal because a hormone called leptin tells a region in the brain called the hypothalamus to signal us to stop eating. Leptin is secreted by fat cells, and levels vary in relation to insulin levels and BMI. However, people who are overweight respond poorly to the leptin signal, something called leptin resistance, and so remain hungry longer. (This also explains why restaurants give us larger plates of food now than they did a few decades ago—not because they want us to feel we are getting a better deal, but because they know we will leave hungry if they don’t.) People are eating more and exercising less, and this is causing obesity—but not solely because of bad habits. Most people with obesity are resistant to leptin, impairing their ability to control their hunger, and many have reduced metabolism, especially at rest.”
Fruit
“… something present in fruit may be a means for triggering weight gain and fat.”
Leptin Resistance
“One of the main ways animals control their weight is through the actions of a hormone known as leptin. Leptin, which you’ll recall is released from fat cells, is what tells our brain we are full. However, it has been shown that, when gaining weight in preparation for hibernation in the fall, bears become resistant to leptin’s effects. People who are overweight or obese also are commonly resistant to leptin. This leptin resistance results in persistent hunger, such that bears and people alike eat more than they need, resulting in weight gain. Our research group, working with physiologist Philip Scarpace, was able to show that when animals in the lab are given a high-fructose diet, they become leptin resistant, although it can take several weeks to months. Once the animals are leptin resistant, they get hungrier, eat more food than they need, and gain weight. Notably, the leptin resistance also persists for several weeks after the fructose in their diet is taken away. There are two caveats here worth highlighting. First, being leptin resistant by itself does not mean you will gain weight. If you are leptin resistant but do not consume additional calories, either because food is not available or because you are able to overcome the biological impulse to eat (a difficult thing to do!), you will not gain weight; you will simply stay hungry. Second, the amount of weight you gain when you are leptin resistant depends on the type of food you eat. For example, if the food you eat is high in calories, as with fatty foods, you will gain more than if the food is low in calories.”
Blood Uric Acid Levels
“Most adults with obesity have blood uric acid levels of 6 mg/dL or more, versus the 4 to 5 mg/dL found in most lean individuals.”
Glycemic Load
“Some high-glycemic carbs include rice, potatoes, bread, cereals, and chips; low-glycemic carbs include most nonstarchy vegetables (such as broccoli and asparagus), salad vegetables (such as lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes), beans and legumes (such as lentils), and seeds and nuts. There is one other factor to consider, however, and that is whether a food has a high glycemic load. This takes into account not only how likely the food is to raise your blood glucose (that is, its glycemic index), but also how much carbohydrate a normal portion of the food contains. Watermelon, for example, has a high glycemic index, but one slice will not raise your glucose too high, because there are not many carbohydrates in that single slice; it has only a moderate glycemic load. Spaghetti, on the other hand, has only a modest glycemic index, but because people often eat a lot at one sitting, it can easily raise glucose levels high enough to activate the survival switch.”
Hypertension
“… our research shows that it is not really the amount of salt that is important in driving blood pressure, but the balance of salt and water. Accordingly, if we can keep fructose intake low, and drink plenty of water to help prevent our blood salt concentration from getting high, we have a good chance of preventing hypertension without restricting salt too severely.”
Fructose in Fruit
“Whole fruits contain substances that tend to block the effects of fructose, such as vitamin C, plant compounds known as flavonoids, potassium, and fiber. Kiwi, for example, is low in fructose and high in vitamin C. Blueberries and strawberries are especially high in flavonoids. Cherries contain additional substances that can lower uric acid. Many fruits, as well as vegetables, are also rich in soluble fiber, which can reduce or slow the absorption of fructose, and therefore reduce or slow its metabolism. Still, I recommend limiting intake of fruits with high fructose content (>8 g/serving), perhaps by having only a half-serving at a time, and instead choosing fruits with lower fructose content. I would eat figs sparingly, for they have the highest fructose content of all fruits.”
“Consider vegetables fructose free. Eat fresh fruits, but limit the total fructose of the fruit you consume in a given meal or snack to 8 grams. Dried fruits, processed foods containing fruits, fruit-based jams and jellies, and juices can contain a lot of fructose. While an apple a day keeps the doctor away, five apples a day and the doctor you’ll pay.”
Liquid Sugar
“Liquid sugar is a bigger culprit than solid sugar, and guzzling down a soft drink is the most powerful way to activate the survival switch. Avoid all sugary soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit juice, and sugary teas and coffee. If you must indulge, drink slowly and be sure to pair with food.”
“When it comes to soft drinks, if you must drink them, slow is safer than fast.”
Low-Fat Diets are Only Effective When …
“On a low-carbohydrate diet (and therefore a diet that is low in fructose and high-glycemic carbohydrates), the survival switch is turned down, and you are less hungry. Therefore, even though your diet may be high in fat, you will not gain weight. This is also why a low-fat diet only results in weight loss if you also include calorie restriction as part of the diet, whereas on a low-carb diet, calorie restriction (i.e., avoiding fat) is not required. Fructose is the criminal. Fat is only an accomplice.”
Exercise and Other Specifics
“What is the best type of exercise to improve mitochondrial function? Many studies have examined this. First, it needs to be an endurance type of exercise, such as walking, exercising on a treadmill, swimming, or cycling, as opposed to a non-endurance activity like weight lifting. Second, it is most effective if you are either fasting or do not eat any carbohydrates before the exercise. Third, the exercise has to be sustained for at least one hour, and be done at least three or four times a week. This is because it takes some time to activate the process of mitochondrial growth, and exercising less than thirty minutes at a time rarely achieves this.”
“The right exercise intensity should allow you to maintain a conversation, but with some degree of difficulty. If you can speak and breathe while exercising almost as well as you can at rest, then you are going too easy. If you can’t maintain a conversation, then you are exercising too hard.”
“While the most accurate approach to determining the right exercise intensity is to buy your own lactate kit and measure your lactate level, there are also some tricks to achieving the exercise intensity you want. The simplest (and the one that Iñigo recommends) is considering the intensity of your breathing and your ability to talk. The right exercise intensity should allow you to maintain a conversation, but with some degree of difficulty. If you can speak and breathe while exercising almost as well as you can at rest, then you are going too easy. If you can’t maintain a conversation, then you are exercising too hard.”
“I recommend three or four servings of whole fruit each day, ideally separated. Fruits containing more than 8 grams of fructose per serving should be limited, or eaten in half-serving quantities. Dried fruits and fruit juices should only be eaten sparingly, if at all. Jams, jellies, applesauce, and other foods with concentrated fruits should generally be avoided, but you can review the amount of total sugars per serving on these products’ nutrition labels. If a serving contains fewer than 8 grams of total sugar, it represents 4 grams of fructose or less and is fine to eat. Sugar-free jams and jellies are permitted. I recommend reducing high-glycemic carbohydrates, including rice, bread, potatoes, refined cereals, and large portions of pasta. Having a continuous glucose monitor can be helpful in determining how you individually respond to these foods; your goal is to keep your blood glucose level less than 120 mg/dL after a meal. In contrast, low-glycemic carbohydrates—especially vegetables and high-fiber foods—are generally recommended. One to two slices of whole grain breads and steel cut oats with minimal added sugars can be eaten daily.”
“There are a few things other than exercise that can stimulate the production of energy factories lost from chronic activation of the survival switch. One is intermittent fasting, as discussed earlier. There is also some evidence that you can stimulate the growth of mitochondria with specific supplements (sometimes referred to as ‘exercise in a bottle’). One of the more potent ways of stimulating mitochondrial growth is by taking an epicatechin supplement. As you may recall, this is the substance present in dark chocolate and in the bitter cocoa that helped protect the Guna from obesity. It is also present in the seeds of the Brazilian guarana fruit. Aztec runners, famous for transmitting messages more than 250 miles in less than a day, were known for drinking large amounts of bitter cocoa, which may help explain their record distance runs. Green tea contains a similar but less potent substance known as epigallocatechin. Both dark chocolate (chocolate with 70 percent or higher bitter cocoa content) and green tea may therefore be beneficial for mitochondrial function. Other supplements are often used to boost mitochondrial function, such as carnitine and co-enzyme Q, but whether these supplements can help increase mitochondrial number has not, to my knowledge, been determined. You should also take care to avoid supplements that might impede your efforts to rehabilitate your energy factories. Supplemental antioxidants such as N-acetyl cysteine, alpha lipoxin, and vitamin C, while beneficial in blocking the oxidative stress that causes mitochondrial injury, ironically may also interfere with the rebuilding of mitochondria. So while I recommend vitamin C supplements for people who are at their desired weight and
want to block activating the survival switch, I would not take this supplement in doses above 500 mg/day if you are trying to lose weight. Here the main goal is to increase your mitochondria, and some studies suggest that vitamin C doses of 1,000 mg/day may hinder that process despite having benefits for metabolic syndrome in general. Overall, exercise remains the most established and proven way to improve your energy factories. My main recommendation is to walk fast, cycle, or run such that you pass the simple conversation test and to do this several times a week.”
“Severely restricting intake of high-glycemic carbohydrates, particularly rice, potatoes, bread, chips, and cereals.”
“Eating an ounce of dark chocolate daily.”
Vitamin C
“Today, the loss of our ability to make vitamin C has made us more susceptible to becoming fat from fructose. The loss of the ability to make vitamin C was beneficial for early primates struggling to survive the great extinction that killed the dinosaurs because it allowed them to generate more fat despite dwindling amounts of fruit. Today, however, the loss of vitamin C makes us more susceptible to sugar’s fat-storage effects. Indeed, many studies have confirmed that overweight people tend to have low vitamin C levels in their blood. There are also many intriguing pilot studies showing that administering vitamin C can improve features of metabolic syndrome in both animals and humans.”
“Many studies have shown that people who are overweight or who have metabolic syndrome tend to have lower blood levels of vitamin C. There are also studies that suggest increasing vitamin C intake reduces the risk for developing metabolic syndrome. In particular, vitamin C dosages of 500 mg daily have been reported to improve blood pressure, reduce blood triglycerides, increase HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol), and lower BMI in several studies. Interestingly, giving fruit juice does not seem to be as effective as taking vitamin C supplements, which makes sense, as fruit juice is also rich in fructose.”
“I recommend supplemental vitamin C, which helps block the switch, both by stimulating the excretion of uric acid in the urine and blocking the effects of uric acid on the body’s energy factories. Limit the dose to 500 mg to 1,000 mg daily, as higher doses can be associated with an increased risk of kidney stones—another reason to stay well hydrated, as hydration reduces this risk.”
September 8, 2022
Learn what the “survival switch” is in nature and how we can prevent it from becoming a “fat switch” for us in this modern world. The evolution, history, animal studies, and clinical research tell why fructose drives insulin resistance and disease. Foods, salt, dehydration, umami flavors, and vitamin C all play a role in how this switch gets turned on and off.
There are three parts: Part I: Why Nature Wants Us to Be Fat; Part II: The Fat Switch and Disease; and Part III: Outfoxing Nature. I recommend this book to anyone who is struggling to lose weight.
Basics of the Switch Diet, pp. 189-190:
Sugar: Reduce sugar intake to 5% of daily calories; eliminate sugary drinks entirely
Carbohydrates: Reduce high-glycemic carbohydrates; emphasize low-glycemic vegetables and high-fiber foods; limit fruit to 3-4 servings daily, separated by half servings for high-glycemic varieties; avoid dried fruit, fruit juices, fruit syrups, and fruit concentrates
Protein: Limit high-umami proteins (red meats, organ meats, and shellfish); emphasize fish, poultry, dairy, and vegetable proteins
Fat: Emphasize monounsaturated and omega-3 fats; saturated fats can account for up to 10% of total caloric intake
Salt: Reduce salt intake to 5-6 grams daily; limit processed foods
Water: Drink 8 ounces of water 6-8 times a day
Dairy: Generally recommended; butter and cheese OK if LDL cholesterol levels are controlled; limit high-umami cheese
Coffee and Tea: Recommended
Dark Chocolate: Encouraged
Alcohol: Reduce or eliminate; if you must drink, sip slowly and alternate with water
Vitamin C: Supplement daily
If you are looking to lose weight, the author provides a Switch-Informed Dietary Plan that will stimulate fat burning. The diet should be low-carb, avoid high-glycemic foods, and incorporate intermittent fasting.
The book is well-written and makes much sense. There is a glossary of terms, which is helpful. Studies and experiments are shared and explained. The Switch Diet is presented for optimum health, and you can follow a stricter version if you are trying to lose fat.
I can’t entirely get behind the recommendation to limit red meat; the author doesn’t share enough details to support this advice.
There are three parts: Part I: Why Nature Wants Us to Be Fat; Part II: The Fat Switch and Disease; and Part III: Outfoxing Nature. I recommend this book to anyone who is struggling to lose weight.
Basics of the Switch Diet, pp. 189-190:
Sugar: Reduce sugar intake to 5% of daily calories; eliminate sugary drinks entirely
Carbohydrates: Reduce high-glycemic carbohydrates; emphasize low-glycemic vegetables and high-fiber foods; limit fruit to 3-4 servings daily, separated by half servings for high-glycemic varieties; avoid dried fruit, fruit juices, fruit syrups, and fruit concentrates
Protein: Limit high-umami proteins (red meats, organ meats, and shellfish); emphasize fish, poultry, dairy, and vegetable proteins
Fat: Emphasize monounsaturated and omega-3 fats; saturated fats can account for up to 10% of total caloric intake
Salt: Reduce salt intake to 5-6 grams daily; limit processed foods
Water: Drink 8 ounces of water 6-8 times a day
Dairy: Generally recommended; butter and cheese OK if LDL cholesterol levels are controlled; limit high-umami cheese
Coffee and Tea: Recommended
Dark Chocolate: Encouraged
Alcohol: Reduce or eliminate; if you must drink, sip slowly and alternate with water
Vitamin C: Supplement daily
If you are looking to lose weight, the author provides a Switch-Informed Dietary Plan that will stimulate fat burning. The diet should be low-carb, avoid high-glycemic foods, and incorporate intermittent fasting.
The book is well-written and makes much sense. There is a glossary of terms, which is helpful. Studies and experiments are shared and explained. The Switch Diet is presented for optimum health, and you can follow a stricter version if you are trying to lose fat.
I can’t entirely get behind the recommendation to limit red meat; the author doesn’t share enough details to support this advice.
September 19, 2023
Interesting thesis. Jokes on fruititarians (or whatever they're called) no? And also on me when I was 17 and anorexic and I thought I would make a lot of fresh fruit juice and smoothies every day because HEALTH. Can't believe I didn't understand the importance of fiber.
I see what he's saying. But I care more about overall health and eating fruit makes me happy. It think on the whole, I don't eat that much fruit in europe because it's expensive. I also eat it seasonally for the most part. Although those ah smoothies are probably bad in this way. I can see how americans need to hear this due to the prevalence of smoothie bars and year round gorging on all foods. But to me this seems intuitive so I'm not going to really change much about my eating patterns based on this. I eat healthy. I don't drink soda. Probably I should cut down on beer, but I knew that. But also fruit has important nutrients in it so I personally disagree that it should be cut out entirely. The research in this book wat interesting though. He does go back and forth talking about fruit and then other sugars constantly, and while I understand that fructose exists outside of fruits as added sugar (and other sugars can be metabolized into fructose?) i also think there's probably a difference between what animals are doing in nature, what humans are doing in America, what is happening to mice in a lab when all of this data gets truncated, and what normal healthy people who have one Apple a day are doing. I think holistically when you eat one banana, you're body doesn't think "throw the survival switch!". You're not overloaded with sugar and your body can handle it. Maybe don't go on a ripe banana binge and only eat that with no other foods. We know soda is unhealthy, but soda is not fruit.
Tldr; don't eat sugar. HFCS is the worst. Added sugar in processed foods is terrible for you. Drinking sugar is worse than eating it. Sugar in fruit will also make you fat so don't eat ALL OF THE FRUIT ALL AT ONCE. The slower you absorb sugar the better so if you eat it with other things or drink very slowly then it's better.
I see what he's saying. But I care more about overall health and eating fruit makes me happy. It think on the whole, I don't eat that much fruit in europe because it's expensive. I also eat it seasonally for the most part. Although those ah smoothies are probably bad in this way. I can see how americans need to hear this due to the prevalence of smoothie bars and year round gorging on all foods. But to me this seems intuitive so I'm not going to really change much about my eating patterns based on this. I eat healthy. I don't drink soda. Probably I should cut down on beer, but I knew that. But also fruit has important nutrients in it so I personally disagree that it should be cut out entirely. The research in this book wat interesting though. He does go back and forth talking about fruit and then other sugars constantly, and while I understand that fructose exists outside of fruits as added sugar (and other sugars can be metabolized into fructose?) i also think there's probably a difference between what animals are doing in nature, what humans are doing in America, what is happening to mice in a lab when all of this data gets truncated, and what normal healthy people who have one Apple a day are doing. I think holistically when you eat one banana, you're body doesn't think "throw the survival switch!". You're not overloaded with sugar and your body can handle it. Maybe don't go on a ripe banana binge and only eat that with no other foods. We know soda is unhealthy, but soda is not fruit.
Tldr; don't eat sugar. HFCS is the worst. Added sugar in processed foods is terrible for you. Drinking sugar is worse than eating it. Sugar in fruit will also make you fat so don't eat ALL OF THE FRUIT ALL AT ONCE. The slower you absorb sugar the better so if you eat it with other things or drink very slowly then it's better.
March 6, 2022
So, could it be fructose stimulate uric acid and then hell break loose? I think this is quite a nice summary on the findings over the line. And some important facts:
1. Gut is able to convert a little bit fructose into glucose, so that the fructose you take won't even reach your liver. So, maybe the slow releasing fructose in fruits would be neutralized in guts. But if you drink a coke, well, god help you.
2. You cut all sugars, and even go keto and think you are all good? The body could create fructose using glucose. Suprise!! So, you could still deep in water if there are something goes wrong with your diet.
3. Dehydration stimulate body to produce fructose in order to retain water. So, keep dydrated.
4. It may not be the amount of salt you take, but the salt concentration that matter. Very salty food increase salt concentration in blood, and the net effect is still stimulating fructose production. So, it could be a good idea to drink a glass of water before meal, so that you salt concentration in blood never spike.
5. Uric acid could be more dangerous than previously thought. Keep it low, or else...
I hope the doctors and scientists nowadays are not spending so much time to convert their findings into profits. Ya, I notice that Moderna and BioNTech get their inventors filthy rich because of the vacinnes. I was told that in the Capitalist world, patent is saintly because greed drive the scientist to work hard... But, what about curiosity? The joy of discovery and learning? The flow when you are fully concentrated???
1. Gut is able to convert a little bit fructose into glucose, so that the fructose you take won't even reach your liver. So, maybe the slow releasing fructose in fruits would be neutralized in guts. But if you drink a coke, well, god help you.
2. You cut all sugars, and even go keto and think you are all good? The body could create fructose using glucose. Suprise!! So, you could still deep in water if there are something goes wrong with your diet.
3. Dehydration stimulate body to produce fructose in order to retain water. So, keep dydrated.
4. It may not be the amount of salt you take, but the salt concentration that matter. Very salty food increase salt concentration in blood, and the net effect is still stimulating fructose production. So, it could be a good idea to drink a glass of water before meal, so that you salt concentration in blood never spike.
5. Uric acid could be more dangerous than previously thought. Keep it low, or else...
I hope the doctors and scientists nowadays are not spending so much time to convert their findings into profits. Ya, I notice that Moderna and BioNTech get their inventors filthy rich because of the vacinnes. I was told that in the Capitalist world, patent is saintly because greed drive the scientist to work hard... But, what about curiosity? The joy of discovery and learning? The flow when you are fully concentrated???
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2023
An excellent and most interesting book that has changed the way I think about eating and my relationship with food and alcohol. I read this book while participating in a ‘no added sugar’ program called ‘Naturally Sweet’ for 6 weeks. Using this book for reference supported my program and educated me on healthy food choices. There is quite a bit of information to digest (pun intended) so I intend to purchase this book as a reference to go back to.
What makes reading this so interesting is the history of the ‘survival switch’ in animals and early humans and how it benefited both in their early days. Of course as time has progressed and we have been introduced to so many processed foods our bodies have learned to keep the survival switch on when we no longer need it and thus most of us eat the wrong foods, carry extra weight and perhaps don’t exercise enough. The benefits of intermittent eating are also outlined which is part of my program.
Although I have known how to eat healthy, I haven’t always since food is such a treat and I think ‘what the heck, you only live once’. However that is the point - as I enter my senior years I want to live healthy and for longer and am now very motivated to avoid chronic illness such as diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Sugar is BAD, plain and simple although it can be oh so delicious. I really enjoyed the chapter on Understanding Sugar in our diet and the history of sugar. You can also listen to Dr. Johnson on a podcast at https://peterattiamd.com/rickjohnson/
What makes reading this so interesting is the history of the ‘survival switch’ in animals and early humans and how it benefited both in their early days. Of course as time has progressed and we have been introduced to so many processed foods our bodies have learned to keep the survival switch on when we no longer need it and thus most of us eat the wrong foods, carry extra weight and perhaps don’t exercise enough. The benefits of intermittent eating are also outlined which is part of my program.
Although I have known how to eat healthy, I haven’t always since food is such a treat and I think ‘what the heck, you only live once’. However that is the point - as I enter my senior years I want to live healthy and for longer and am now very motivated to avoid chronic illness such as diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Sugar is BAD, plain and simple although it can be oh so delicious. I really enjoyed the chapter on Understanding Sugar in our diet and the history of sugar. You can also listen to Dr. Johnson on a podcast at https://peterattiamd.com/rickjohnson/
May 7, 2022
Loved this! Johnson’s claims and explanations are all throughly backed up by research and experiments he’s personally performed himself over the last 20 years. His guidelines for turning off the “Fat Switch” efficiently identifies the truly problematic foods we consume rather than restrictive and hard to stick to diet that have become popular as of late.
If fat accumulation, obesity, and diabetes were like a tumor in someone’s forearm, a Keto diet of indiscriminately cutting out all carbs, would be like a butcher’s knife severing your entire arm at the shoulder joint, you would be tumor-free! But at the cost of your arm. Johnson’s fat switch diet is akin to a surgeon’s knife in that it targets and removes the tumor directly, allowing you to keep the rest of your arm.
The only restrictive thing I found about Johnson’s switch diet is the restriction of high GI carbs. But if you liked reading this book, I would recommend “Glucose Revolution” next by Jessie Inchapsé in which you’ll learn hacks to prevent your blood glucose from spiking while still being able to enjoy your favorite high glycemic index foods.
If fat accumulation, obesity, and diabetes were like a tumor in someone’s forearm, a Keto diet of indiscriminately cutting out all carbs, would be like a butcher’s knife severing your entire arm at the shoulder joint, you would be tumor-free! But at the cost of your arm. Johnson’s fat switch diet is akin to a surgeon’s knife in that it targets and removes the tumor directly, allowing you to keep the rest of your arm.
The only restrictive thing I found about Johnson’s switch diet is the restriction of high GI carbs. But if you liked reading this book, I would recommend “Glucose Revolution” next by Jessie Inchapsé in which you’ll learn hacks to prevent your blood glucose from spiking while still being able to enjoy your favorite high glycemic index foods.
March 5, 2022
👍🏼 a good non-fiction read for those weight conscious and curious
Dr. Johnson has spent a career on research into why people are fat and how to stop being fat. Despite the certainty in the title, we still don’t have all the answers. Dr. Johnson is going to give you his best educated guess and opinions though.
The premise of the book is that we humans, like many animals, have a “survival switch” that nature uses to keep us alive when resources are scarce. However, unlike most animals, humans (especially those in the Western world) generally have abundant food resources and don’t really need the survival switch in the “on” position - even though we are really good at turning it on.
This book takes you through the evolution of research and links together observations from nature, laboratory research, and clinical trials to explain this survival switch - why it exists, how it works, and how to turn it off (and lose weight).
This book definitely doesn’t have all of the answers, but can be a good resource for anyone trying to better understand what is going on in their body.
Dr. Johnson has spent a career on research into why people are fat and how to stop being fat. Despite the certainty in the title, we still don’t have all the answers. Dr. Johnson is going to give you his best educated guess and opinions though.
The premise of the book is that we humans, like many animals, have a “survival switch” that nature uses to keep us alive when resources are scarce. However, unlike most animals, humans (especially those in the Western world) generally have abundant food resources and don’t really need the survival switch in the “on” position - even though we are really good at turning it on.
This book takes you through the evolution of research and links together observations from nature, laboratory research, and clinical trials to explain this survival switch - why it exists, how it works, and how to turn it off (and lose weight).
This book definitely doesn’t have all of the answers, but can be a good resource for anyone trying to better understand what is going on in their body.
August 7, 2022
A friend wanted me to read this book. At first look it was overwhelming because of the small type set. However, as I started reading it I found it a very interesting reading. Even most of the scientific explanations were interesting. I felt it was well written, keeping even a slightly curious reader interested. Throughout Parts I and II I was fully engaged and ready to by into the research. Then came Part III about applying the theory into the readers life and I felt totally let down. Dr. Johnson outlines several diets that already exist, and how they do and don't follow the path he has taken us down. Then he recommends the "Switch Diet", which he briefly outlines but doesn't give enough information for the reader to make a concerted effort at going on and staying on the diet. Maybe the "Switch Diet" will be his next book. Until then, read this book for the excellent research that is being done, but don't expect a good way to apply it in your life.
December 11, 2022
A little bit one sided, but still interesting, Johnson's idea is that fructose is the main idea and blame for many ailments including weight gain, due to the fact that nature of course is wanting us to be fat to help us get over the lean times, and of course, the issue in the west is that we don't really have lean times any more, hence the idea of the fasting diets, to try and replicate that, which he mentions, along with how his experiments have found that fructose sugar is used by the body to put on that weight, not just in humans but animals in general, preparing them for the winter, which make logical sense, but now for us, is bad for our health. Not that we should be giving up fruit, but that we should watch what we eat, especially drink, in regards to our fructose and sugar intake. He harps on a little about the whole fructose theme, but it is his main point. Not too sciencey and easy enough for the average Joe to understand, and gives some diet advice as well.
February 11, 2022
I found Richard Johnson’s Nature Wants Us to Be Fat to be a fascinating and insightful book. I was amazed by Dr. Johnson’s ability to weave together data from so many disparate disciplines, including geology, archeology, anthropology, molecular biology, biochemistry and metabolism, to form a novel set of observations and insights. He then fill gaps in knowledge from his own laboratory research. The entire story that Dr. Johnson presents is well written and very entertaining as well as highly informative and very stimulating. This book is a tour de force.
Joel D. Kopple, MD
Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Public Health
UCLA
The Lundquist Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Torrance, CA
Joel D. Kopple, MD
Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Public Health
UCLA
The Lundquist Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Torrance, CA
March 12, 2022
This is an enjoyable, a recommended read... if you are interested in science / healthcare research or health practitioner like me. Not as useful for biohackers looking for actions (it offers these in summary near the end). The book's title is accurate.
I have not read Dr Johnson's other works. I became interested in him from his second interview on Peter Attia's podcast. If you aren't sure you're ready to invest time on a book, I recommend that interview first. His communication skills in speech and writing are superb, in addition to his long list of accomplishments as a researcher and clinician.
I have not read Dr Johnson's other works. I became interested in him from his second interview on Peter Attia's podcast. If you aren't sure you're ready to invest time on a book, I recommend that interview first. His communication skills in speech and writing are superb, in addition to his long list of accomplishments as a researcher and clinician.
March 31, 2022
LCHF
Good book except the comments on eating red meat and saturated fat. For someone who is casein intolerant, allergies to seafood, fish, and nuts, and many fruits and vegetables, but on a very low carb diet meat and liver, do very little to increase the rise on blood glucose. He does no research into the Carnivorish diet, and blindly sticks to the old knowledge that saturated fat is at the root cause of heart disease. More research is needed before one can come to his treatment for what he thinks is the cause of obesity in todays culture.
Good book except the comments on eating red meat and saturated fat. For someone who is casein intolerant, allergies to seafood, fish, and nuts, and many fruits and vegetables, but on a very low carb diet meat and liver, do very little to increase the rise on blood glucose. He does no research into the Carnivorish diet, and blindly sticks to the old knowledge that saturated fat is at the root cause of heart disease. More research is needed before one can come to his treatment for what he thinks is the cause of obesity in todays culture.
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