Could Obesogens Be Causing your Weight Issues?

Last year Bruce Blumberg, a biologist at UC Irvine, coined the word "obesogens.”  Obesogens are chemicals in our food or environment foreign to the body that are believed to inhibit normal fat metabolism and cause storage of excess fat.  When fat metabolism is compromised it can leave you feeling hungry with low energy levels.

How does this happen?  Obesogens are linked to causing the pancreas to produce more insulin, thus promoting fat storage without the increase of more calories or food.

Okay – so now there’s a new word so let’s break it down.  What ARE obesogens?  High fructose corn syrup (HFCS), Bisphenol A (BPA), pesticides and PVC (vinyl found in plastic wraps, air fresheners, shower curtains, and some fragrances) are just a few.

HFCS – the Stuff that’s NOT so Sweet

Let’s start with the most famous – high fructose corn syrup.  HFCS was developed as a cheaper way to sweeten foods since sugar is expensive.  The Corn Refiner’s Association would have you think it is the same as sugar but the research shows otherwise.  HFCS has a higher amount of fructose which tricks the hormone in the brain that makes you feel full called leptin.  When you are eating large amounts of HFCS (not hard to do since it is the sweetener is most foods) your brain becomes deaf to leptin which leaves you wanting for more food.  It’s virtually impossible to tame the sweet tooth with HFCS.

BPA and PVC

Bisphenol A or BPA is a plastic in some water bottles and plastic containers.  Plastic wrap used in grocery stores is mostly PVC which leaches phthalates.  Phthalates can lower testosterone which will increase your chance of storing more fat, especially belly or visceral fat.  BPA can also lower testosterone and increase insulin resistance leading to type 2 or adult diabetes.

Pesticides

Even though organic foods are more expensive, they contain far less pesticides and hormone disruptors.  It’s much better to consume small imperfect fruits and veggies than those beautiful conventional non-flavored ones.  Your body will thank you later.

Take Home Message

1. Avoid Foods Made with HFCS – this one is easy – just read labels or avoid foods with labels to ensure you are eating unprocessed whole real foods.

2.  Avoid BPA and PVC

Avoid storing foods in plastic containers and look at the plastics you do have to ensure they do not have BPA in them.  Never heat food in plastic containers and do not clean plastics in the dishwasher which can increase leaching of BPA.  Absolutely never defrost meat in its original packaging.

Avoid buying fatty foods like meats packaged in plastic wrap and if you use air fresheners or fragrances avoid buying those with vinyl products.

3. Buy Organic

Choose the most important organic foods and what you can afford.  Buying grass-fed meat and pastured poultry/eggs lowers intake of pre-loaded hormones in the meats.

We can’t blame all our weight issues on obesogens.  However, years ago we never had to think about these issues.  If the normal lifestyle factors of healthful eating, exercise, and sleep are not adding up to your success, obesogens may be one piece of the puzzle to consider.  Now that’s a corner piece I’d like to find.

Childhood Obesity starts with Formulas?

Last week’s blog regarding the New York Times article citing bypass surgery for children set off a raw nerve with readers.  Childhood obesity is multi-factorial but can it actually start with the first bottle of formula?

One ingredient to avoid on food labels is high fructose corn syrup or corn syrup.  Many infant formulas list this ingredient as second or third.  Dr. Robert Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist at UCSF, gave an elaborate lecture on you-tube regarding the consequences of sugar and high fructose corn syrup.  He blew the whistle on the obesity epidemic starting with corn syrup in infant formulas.

Many women are unable to breastfeed for multiple reasons.  A few years ago some of my female clients turned to me for help in selecting an appropriate formula.  After spending many hours online and in the store I only found one or two formulas that came close to something I would recommend.

Besides corn syrup in cow-based formulas there even more issues with soy formulas since they are made with soy protein isolate (SPI).  To make SPI, manufactures take soybeans that are about 90 percent genetically modified, and mix them with a solution to remove the fiber.  This fiber-less soybean is then dried at high temperatures which denature the quality of the protein.  In addition, soy acts like a pseudo-estrogen in the body and it is estimated that an infant fed soy formula receives the amount of estrogen per day in at least 5 birth control pills – not such a great start to life.

Formula makers are now supplementing with the important omega-3 fats DHA and EPA to help the baby’s brain development.  However, the sources of these essential fats can be poor or contain inadequate amounts.

It might be time to demand infant formula makers to make a change-maybe the first step needed in Michelle Obama's campaign against childhood obesity.  Women receive cases of these formulas free in the hospital to encourage usage, unknowingly feeding their babies something which could influence their future health.  It’s time we started preventing obesity from the beginning – rather than prescriptions later.

Corn Syrup on Trial?

In yesterday’s Los Angeles Times there was a full page advertisement that stated:  High Fructose Corn Syrup ACQUITTED!  I did not realize HFCS was on trial, but maybe I missed that news.  In recent months, TV ads have been telling us that corn syrup is the same as sugar.  However, what do the studies reveal?

Last week David Kessler, whose new book The End of Overeating recounted his statements of corn syrup being dangerous stating its effects were similar to sugar.  This made the Center for Consumer Freedom very happy and well as many others that make money from this “food.”  Mr. Kessler’s book is excellent.  However, I would disagree that corn syrup is similar to sugar.  Today’s LA Times had a nice summary of the arguments going back and forth.

For detailed information on HFCS see my blog April 3^rd.  The bottom line manufactured corn syrup has a higher percentage of manufactured fructose which has a straight shot to the liver, thereby causing fatty liver.  In addition, when consuming high fructose corn syrup a hormone that helps you feel full called Leptin does not kick in.  Therefore, your brain does not get the signal you are indeed full, and you may continue to eat.

Fatty liver and gaining weight – not a good combination to me.  I have HFCS on my NOT TO SHOP list in my new book A Recipe for Life and this is not something I intend on going back on.

High Fructose Corn Syrup, Leptin and Weight: Avoiding the Slippery Slope

Recent media ads informing you HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is safe might lead you to believe consuming a soft drink made with HFCS poses no health risks. When you look at the current research, nothing could be further from the truth.

To understand the truth, we need to look a little at the chemistry of different sugars and hormone interactions. HFCS was developed in the 70’s from cornstarch that is made from genetically modified corn. This process results in a product that is less expensive than sugar, and is used by the major food companies to sweeten their products – anything from sodas to jams, ketchup, juices, and processed packaged foods.

Table sugar is composed of 2 sugars – glucose and fructose. All the cells of our body can readily metabolize glucose, but fructose is only metabolized via the liver. Large amounts of fructose going to the liver causes fatty liver leading to high cholesterol and triglycerides.

Since HFCS contains more fructose than sugar, the fructose is more readily available since it is not bound up with glucose, as is the case with natural sugar. Therefore it has a straight shot to the liver.

Now enter the hormone leptin. Leptin is one of the main hormones regulating appetite. I like to state that leptin lowers your appetite. Several recent studies revealed a diet high in HFCS increased the level of triglycerides, which blocked the brain’s response to leptin.

Therefore, if your body becomes insensitive to leptin, and in fact, develops a leptin resistance, the brain will continue to signal your body it needs more food and continue to store fat.

Judith Altarejos, Ph.D. a researcher at Scripps states “obesity results when the brain becomes ‘deaf’ to the leptin signals.” If your brain is continuing to tell you to eat, you will have a hard time losing weight.

Turning this situation around is not as hard as you might think. Consuming protein at each meal and snack, along with healthy sources of carbohydrate like fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds and healthy fats will do wonders for turning on the leptin switch. Keeping refined processed sources of carbohydrate out of your diet is essential and necessary to keeping or restoring balance to the body.

So look for HFCS on labels and stay clear of the slippery slope. Your body and arteries will thank you.