Issue #295: The Hidden Danger
Good morning. It’s Thursday, January 25th.
In today’s email:
Learn: A Hidden Danger
Try: Read the Label
Eat: Turmeric
Cook: Roasted Carrot Turmeric Soup
In the News: Hearing Loss
Stat of the Day
The number of years it takes to start to change the human genome. It’s only been 11,000 years since the Agricultural Revolution, 220 years since the Industrial Revolution, and 60 years since the widespread use of high-fructose corn syrup. (source)
Learn
The Hidden Danger
On Tuesday (Issue #294) we talked about glucose and how too much sugar can eventually make its way to visceral fat.
But there’s another ingredient that’s lurking in all of our food today, ready to crush our metabolism - fructose.
Remember glucose turns into energy when our cells - specifically our mitochondria - use it to produce ATP. Fructose, on the other hand, actively impedes the performance of our mitochondria by 40-50%.
It doesn’t produce energy - it just becomes stored as fat.
It’s like putting diesel into a gas-powered car. The engine can’t combust the diesel fuel and will only go a few miles.
Again, it might have been the right fuel for survival, but it’s the wrong fuel for longevity - especially when our consumption has gone up 1,000 percent since 1970 (a blink of the eye in human history).
Here’s what specifically happens:
Too much fructose raises our uric acid. Why does this matter? Even slight increase in uric acid can crush our metabolism and decrease our longevity.
Specifically - high uric acid creates oxidative stress.
This then constricts our blood vessels (a.k.a., increases blood pressure). High uric acid also creates inflammation and does a number on our kidneys.
So now we can’t process salt very well and to compensate for the higher salt in our blood, our body increases the water in these vessels - which only further raises our blood pressure.
To make matters worse - high uric acid also reduces our ability to produce nitric oxide (NO), which is actually one of the keys to heart health (see Issue #253). Not enough NO causes a ton of other health problems - including sexual performance issues.
That’s why overconsumption of soft drinks (i.e., high-fructose corn syrup) is connected to “slow and asymptomatic progression of ED.”
You might hear things like “high-fructose corn syrup is great - it doesn’t raise your blood sugar levels.” The second part of that statement is true - it won’t show up on your blood test or continuous glucose monitor, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for you.
It goes straight to the liver and gets stored there or in our fat cells. Fatty liver disease used to only be a problem after years and years of drinking too much alcohol - but now it’s a thing for people that don’t drink, and even for kids.
The last thing I’ll say about fructose - we have a hormone called leptin that tells us when we’re full. Fructose effectively shuts this off - and that’s why we can’t stop eating.
Where’s it coming from?
Fructose is in fruits (and vegetables). But let’s be honest, it’s hard to overdose on fruits - which also have fiber and nutrients (like vitamin C and potassium) that prevent uric acid build-up.
Fructose is found in 72% of foods in the grocery store - pastries, cereals, processed foods, and drinks. And it’s not just a little bit - most soda is at least 50% fructose.
Basically our food system makes it nearly impossible to avoid.
Try
Read the Label
It’s not always easy to uncover fructose.
But look for a combination of “Added Sugar” and the list of ingredients that might be high in fructose. Some of these are obvious - soda, ice cream, cookies. But many items are not - ketchup, energy bars, salad dressings, etc.
I’ve never been one to track my food - but for your next trip to the grocery store, see how few items you can put into the cart that have added sugar and/or fructose.
Does it dramatically change what you normally buy?
Is this approach sustainable?
Just remember food is fuel - it can give you energy or it can take it away.
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Eat
Turmeric
Turmeric dates back nearly 4,000 years to the Vedic culture in India as a culinary spice, and 2,500 years ago it emerged as an important part of Ayurvedic (natural healing) medicine.
Turmeric has fiber, vitamins, and minerals like iron and potassium. But the real value of turmeric is in its bioactive compounds - especially curcumin. Curcumin is an anti-inflammatory and boosts brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) - we’ve talked about this before. This amazing protein makes us smarter and lowers our risk of brain-related diseases.
Most important? Dr. Kara Fitzgerald says that curcumin can actually fix errors in our DNA. As we age our genes get messed up - like a stadium after a game. Turmeric acts like the clean-up crew for our aging DNA.
How to eat it
Serving size: 1 teaspoon
When to eat: any time
PRO TIP: Make sure to eat it with black pepper. The piperine in black pepper increases the bioavailability of curcumin in the turmeric.
More…
The golden spice stains - so don’t wear white while preparing meals
Don’t overdo it - though I can’t imagine this is a huge problem. High doses of turmeric can lead to blood thinning and gut issues
Turmeric is naturally vegan, gluten-free, and keto-friendly
Cook
Roasted Carrot Turmeric Soup
Great soup for cold weather! The carrots and sweet potatoes have a ton of beta-carotene and fiber to promote eye health and digestion. Garlic, a natural immunity booster, pairs with turmeric, while the Greek yogurt infuses a creamy texture, packed with probiotics and protein. Top it off with some ginger, cardamom and cilantro for added flavor and a little digestion boost.
A soul-soothing and body-nourishing choice!
In the News
Can You Hear Me?: Hearing loss impacts ~40M Americans, yet only 10% have hearing aids. A new study says going with the earpieces reduces all-cause mortality by 24%. (Source)
The Details Matter: Autophagy clears out damaged DNA and RNA, helping to avoid diseases of aging, including cancer. New research suggests autophagy genes may have even more superpowers. (Longevity.Technology)
Digital Minimalism X.0: Cal Newport wrote an awesome book on this topic. The impending danger is digitizing activities, especially communication, that are waaaaayy better in the analog. (WIRED)
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25, Inc. does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.