Liver Health: why food with fats and sugar are addictive

The combination of fat and sugar makes food irresistible. It can even cause a form of addiction that leads to excess weight and health problems. It often leads to obesity and fatty liver. The best treatment for fatty liver disease is to reach a healthy weight through diet and exercise.

Fat and sugar together in the food

Food containing fat and sugar can become addictive. Sugar alone is not enough to make food super delicious. Of course, glucose gives the brain great pleasure because it provides fuel but not enough to make food irresistible. Fat is the element that really drives our brain crazy when combined with sugar.

The epidemiology professor and internationally acclaimed obesity researcher, Adam Drenovski, conducted an experiment in 1988 that demonstrated the role of fat. He gave a group of people a drink of milk that had a constant concentration of sugar but a different concentration in fat and asked them to choose the one they preferred. The preferred choice was undoubtedly the full-fat milk. Of course, we didn’t need an experiment to tell us that. We all know that zero fat milk is more like water and has nothing to do with full-fat milk.

Sugar and fat provide the delicious taste that most pastry chefs know how to create. Until now, no one has been able to invent a truly successful sweet that does not contain fat. What gives food its characteristic creamy texture and rich flavor is fat. And of course, there is also salt that completes the trio of addictive ingredients in foods.

A form of addiction

When we eat something, the taste is a great incentive. However, when fat and sugar (and salt) are included, we tend to eat far more than what is needed to satisfy our real hunger. And according to studies that have to do with the amount of dopamine that is released in our brain, frequent consumption of high-fat foods causes an addictive pattern.

The high levels of dopamine released in the brain result in a counteracting effect where the dopamine receptors decrease and enable a phenomenon known as increased tolerance. This means that a lower level of pleasure is achieved over time. To get the same pleasure we had before, we now want to eat more. But we are slowly starting to lose control. This is an indication that we are now addicted. The five most addictive foods are chocolate, chips, stuffed cookies, white bread, and ice cream.

It is possible that obesity has increased dramatically in the last 50 years because the food industry has created delicacies that have created an imbalance in the human brain’s reward center.

How can we escape addictive foods and lose weight?

The usual advice of nutritionists is to eat all types of food in moderation and focus on various activities that cause pleasure, e.g. dance, exercise, etc. But, as with cigarettes, detoxification is not easy. It takes a strong will and vigilance to replace chocolate with fruit. It takes determination and the realization that permanent weight loss is more of a lifestyle choice rather than temporary dietary restrictions.

Lose weight to protect your liver

Liver fat, a disease also known as Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), is often encountered in such cases, due to the increased accumulation of fat in the liver cells (not attributable to excessive alcohol consumption). Fatty liver usually coexists with obesity, metabolic syndrome or other cardiovascular risk factors, and is the most common form of chronic liver disease in developed countries.

The accumulation of fat in the liver is, to a certain degree, normal. But if the amount of fat is more than 5-10% of the total liver weight, then we are talking about fatty liver disease. The accumulation of fat in the liver can lead to severe complications, especially if inflammation or extensive damage to the liver occurs. In the case of NAFLD, the liver may swell, and, over time, the liver cells will be replaced by scar tissue. This phenomenon is more commonly known as cirrhosis of the liver. As the liver malfunctions, hepatic failure or liver cancer may develop. In addition to a significant cirrhosis factor, NAFLD also contributes to heart disease in overweight and obese individuals.

Consult your doctor if you have these Symptoms

Fatty liver disease may not be accompanied by evident symptoms, especially in the early stages. Keep in mind the following that may be attributed to NAFLD and make sure to consult your doctor if you are concerned about your health.

• Excessive fatigue
• Unexplained weight loss or decreased appetite
• Generalized weakness
• Motion sickness
• Confusion, difficulty to concentrate
• Abdominal pain
• Edema
• Discoloration of the skin, usually on the throat and armpits

The right diet to protect your liver

The typical treatment for fatty liver disease, whether it’s alcohol-related or not, is to reach a healthy weight through diet and exercise.

So what should you do?

What you really need to do is change your lifestyle and adopt healthy habits.

• In case you are overweight, it is important to lose the excess weight gradually, safely and in a manner that will guarantee that you will not gain the weight back after a few months. Steer clear from strict diets that promise rapid weight loss and can be detrimental to your health.
• Limit saturated and trans-fatty acids, replacing them with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Choose low-fat milk and cheese and low-fat meats. Furthermore, avoid ready-made dough products (puff pastries, croissants, donuts, cookies) and choose olive oil over butter and margarine.
• Add omega-three fatty acids in your diet by consuming fish and seafood at least twice a week.
• Replace plain carbohydrates (sugar, jams, sweets, soft drinks, standard fruit juices) with low-glycemic index carbohydrates (whole grains).
• Avoid or limit alcohol consumption.
• Increase physical activity levels by choosing a sport or activity you enjoy and try to exercise at least 30 minutes 3-4 times a week.

Start your new life in the Caribbean

An excellent place to start your new healthy lifestyle and establish better habits is an amazing Weight Loss Camp in Cabarete in the Dominican Republic. People there will help you reach your dreams and inspire you to work on your overall well-being while enjoying their exotic beachfront location. You will have the opportunity to eat organically-grown farm food, exercise with some amazing people, and make long and lasting friendships. Joining a Fitness Camp in the Caribbean can give you the drive and the empowerment you need to start your new life.

References

Scientific American, Addicted to Fat: Overeating May Alter the Brain as Much as Hard Drugs, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/addicted-to-fat-eating/

Sciencing, How Dopamine Helps Make Some Foods Addicting, https://sciencing.com/how-dopamine-helps-make-some-foods-addicting-13711519.html

NCBI, Fructose and Sugar: A Major Mediator of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5893377/

Medical News Today, Is this how fructose worsens the effect of high fat diets?, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326550.php

Medium Health, Understanding Obesity, https://medium.com/@drjasonfung/understanding-obesity-f233fbb38dc1

WebMD, Diet and Lifestyle Tips to Reverse Fatty Liver Disease, https://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/fatty-liver-disease-diet#1

Men’s Health, The Truth about Fat and Sugar Is Finally Explained, https://www.menshealth.com/uk/nutrition/a755000/the-truth-about-fat-and-sugar-is-finally-explained/