Dr. Robert Lustig: How Sugar & Processed Foods Impact Your Health

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Robert Lustig, M.D., neuroendocrinologist, professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and a bestselling author on nutrition and metabolic health. We address the “calories in- calories out” (CICO) model of metabolism and weight regulation and how specific macronutrients (protein, fat, carbohydrates), fiber and sugar can modify the CICO equation. We cover how different types of sugars, specifically fructose, sugars found in liquid form, taste intensity, and other factors impact insulin levels, liver, kidney, and metabolic health. We also explore how fructose in non-fruit sources can be addictive (acting similarly to drugs of abuse) and how sugar alters brain circuits related to food cravings and satisfaction. We discuss the role of sugar in childhood and adult obesity, gut health and disease and mental health. We also discuss how the food industry uses refined sugars to create pseudo foods and what these do to the brain and body. This episode is replete with actionable information about sugar and metabolism, weight control, brain health and body composition. It ought to be of interest to anyone seeking to understand how specific food choices impact the immediate and long-term health of the brain and body.

For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com.

Use Ask Huberman Lab, our new AI-powered platform, for a summary, clips, and insights from this episode.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Dr. Robert Lustig

(00:02:02) Sponsors: LMNT & Waking Up

(00:06:41) Calories, Fiber

(00:12:15) Calories, Protein & Fat, Trans Fats

(00:18:23) Carbohydrate Calories, Glucose vs. Fructose, Fruit, Processed Foods

(00:26:43) Fructose, Mitochondria & Metabolic Health

(00:31:54) Trans Fats; Food Industry & Language

(00:33:55) Sponsor: AG1

(00:37:04) Glucose, Insulin, Muscle

(00:42:31) Insulin & Cell Growth vs. Burn; Oxygen & Cell Growth, Cancer

(00:51:14) Glucose vs. Fructose, Uric Acid; “Leaky Gut” & Inflammation

(01:00:51) Supporting the Gut Microbiome, Fasting

(01:04:13) Highly Processed Foods, Sugars; “Price Elasticity” & Food Industry

(01:11:51) Processed Foods & Added Sugars

(01:14:19) Sugars, High-Fructose Corn Syrup

(01:18:16) Food Industry & Added Sugar, Personal Responsibility, Public Health

(01:30:04) Obesity, Diabetes, “Hidden” Sugars

(01:34:57) Diet, Insulin & Sugars

(01:38:20) Tools: NOVA Food Classification; Perfact Recommendations

(01:43:46) Meat & Metabolic Health, Eggs, Fish

(01:46:44) Sources of Omega-3s; Vitamin C & Vitamin D

(01:52:37) Tool: Reduce Inflammation; Sugars, Cortisol & Stress

(01:59:12) Food Industry, Big Pharma & Government; Statins

(02:06:55) Public Health Shifts, Rebellion, Sugar Tax, Hidden Sugars

(02:12:58) Real Food Movement, Public School Lunches & Processed Foods

(02:18:25) 3 Fat Types & Metabolic Health; Sugar, Alcohol & Stress

(02:26:40) Artificial & Non-Caloric Sweeteners, Insulin & Weight Gain

(02:34:32) Re-Engineering Ultra-Processed Food

(02:38:45) Sugar & Addiction, Caffeine

(02:45:18)