The Obesity Code Cookbook. Jason Fung
sugar, especially when you don’t make
them yourself at home.
What about alcohol? Alcohol is made from the fermentation of sug-
ars and starches from various sources. Yeasts eat the sugars and convert
them to alcohol. Moderate consumption of red wine does not raise
insulin or impair insulin sensitivity, and therefore may be enjoyed occa-
sionally. Up to two glasses a day (4 ounces/175 milliliters per glass) is not
associated with major weight gain and may improve insulin sensitivity.
But trendy alcoholic drinks such as “hard” lemonade, flavored wine cool-
ers, cider, beer, and traditional liqueurs and cocktails are often loaded
with syrups and other sweet flavorings and can add significant amounts
of sugar to your diet.
What is left to drink? The best drink is really just plain or sparkling
water. Slices of lemon, lime, or orange are a refreshing addition. Infusing
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water by adding fruits (e.g., strawberries), herbs (e.g., mint), or vegetables
(e.g., cucumber) and leaving it overnight is a great way to give it some
flavor. Use these infused waters with a home carbonation machine like
a SodaStream to make your own flavored sparkling water for pennies a
glass. Several other drinks are also delicious and do not raise insulin
(see below).
COffee
Due to its high caffeine content, coffee is sometimes considered
unhealthy. However, recent research has come to the opposite conclusion,
perhaps because coffee is a major source of antioxidants, magnesium,
lignans, and chlorogenic acid. Coffee, even the decaffeinated version,
appears to protect against type 2 diabetes. In a 2009 review, every
daily cup of coffee lowered the risk of diabetes by 7 percent—even up
to six cups per day (for a reduced risk of 42 percent). Coffee may guard
against Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, as well as liver cir-
rhosis and liver cancer. While these correlation studies are suggestive,
they are not proof of benefit. However, they do suggest that coffee may
not be as harmful as we had imagined. (But remember to skip the sugar!)
tea
After water, tea is the most popular beverage in the world. Black tea is
the most common variety, accounting for almost 75 percent of global tea
consumption. The harvested leaves are fully fermented, giving the tea its
characteristic black color. Black tea tends to be higher in caffeine than
other varieties. Oolong tea is semi-fermented, meaning that it under-
goes a shorter period of fermentation. Green tea is unfermented. Instead,
the freshly harvested leaves are immediately steamed to stop fermenta-
tion, giving green tea a much more delicate and floral taste. Green tea is
naturally much lower in caffeine than coffee, making this drink ideal for
those who are sensitive to caffeine’s stimulant effects.
Polyphenols in green tea may boost metabolism, which can
improve fat burning. Furthermore, drinking green tea has been linked
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introduction
to increased fat oxidation during exercise, increased resting energy
expenditure, and a lower risk of various types of cancer. Green tea is
a particularly rich source of catechins, which are believed to protect
against metabolic diseases. Brewing green tea does destroy some of its
healthful catechins, so another good option is to use tea crystals (I like
Pique tea crystals, which use cold-brew crystallization to increase the
catechin content).
Herbal teas are infusions of herbs, spices, or other plant matter in hot
water. These are not true teas since they do not contain tea leaves. Never-
theless, they make excellent drinks without added sugars.
BOne BrOth
Virtually every culture’s culinary traditions include nutritious and deli-
cious bone broth—bones simmered with vegetables, herbs, and spices for
flavoring. The long simmering time (four to forty-eight hours) releases
most of the bones’ minerals, gelatin, and nutrients. The addition of a
small amount of vinegar during cooking helps leach some of the stored
minerals. Bone broths are very high in amino acids such as proline, argi-
nine, and glycine, as well as minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and
phosphorus.
Step 2: Reduce your consumption of refined grains
Refined grains such as white flour stimulate insulin to a greater degree
than virtually any other food. If you reduce your consumption of flour
and refined grains, you will substantially improve your weight-loss
potential. White flour, being nutritionally bankrupt, can be safely
reduced or even eliminated from your diet. Enriched white flours have
had all their nutrients stripped out during processing and added back
later for a veneer of healthiness.
Whole wheat and whole-grain grains and flours are a minimal
improvement over white flour because they contain more vitamins and
fiber, which help protect against insulin spikes. However, whole-grain
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flour is still highly processed in a modern flour mill. Traditional stone-
mill ground flour is preferable. The ultrafine particles produced by
modern milling techniques ensure rapid absorption of flour, even whole
wheat flour, by the intestine, which increases the insulin effect.
Carbohydrates should be enjoyed in their natural, whole, unpro-
cessed form. Many traditional diets built around carbohydrates cause
neither poor health nor obesity. Remember: The toxicity in much West-
ern food stems from the processing rather than the food itself. The
carbohydrates in Western diets are heavily skewed toward refined grains
and are thus highly obesogenic. Many unprocessed, unrefined vegeta-
bles, even root vegetables, are healthy carbohydrate-containing foods
that