The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish

#25 Gary Taubes: Is Sugar Slowly Killing Us

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Nov 30, 2017

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Gary Taubes

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INSIGHT

Nutrition Science's Complexity

Nutritional science struggles due to complex human subjects and long disease manifestation times.
This makes rigorous testing difficult, unlike physics with its simpler, quicker experiments.

INSIGHT

Genes and Epidemics

Genetics plays a significant role in individual body types and predisposition to obesity and diabetes.
However, the global rise of these epidemics suggests that lifestyle and dietary factors are primary drivers.

INSIGHT

Sugar's Link to Diabetes

The rise in diabetes diagnoses in hospitals, from near zero to widespread, correlates strongly with increased sugar consumption.
This points to sugar as a prime suspect in the diabetes epidemic, especially with the parallel growth of sugar-heavy industries.

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It seems that nowadays, aside from religion and politics, one of the most hotly debated topics is that of nutrition.

Should we eat high carb diets? Low carb? High fat? High protein? What about wheat or gluten? Should we eat meat or adopt a vegan diet?

There are as many opinions as there are people — and books, magazines and websites are overflowing with information showing you the “right” way to eat and exercise to lose weight.

But if “eating less and moving more” is all it takes to lose weight and enjoy a healthy lifestyle, why are so many of us fat and getting fatter?

In this episode, I chat with Gary Taubes, bestselling author of three books, The Case Against Sugar (2016), Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It (2011) and Good Calories, Bad Calories (2007).

We talk about the sharp rise of obesity and diabetes in America, the structural hurdles to effective nutrition research, and explore the common myth that a calorie is just a calorie.

Here are a few other things you’ll learn in this interview:

How diets shifted in the last century, and what impact it’s having on our bodies today.
Why a carb isn’t just a carb — and why you should know the difference
Is the sugar industry the new Big Tobacco?
What role genetics play in our health, and how much is under our control
Why humans are so attracted to sugar and how to break the habit
Gary’s suggestions to improve your health, drop body fat and feel terrific
The benefits of fasting and how you can try it out yourself

And a bunch more.

If you think at all about your health, give this podcast a listen.

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