While it is generally postulated that calories in
minus calories burned should determine
weight, this overly simple equation leaves
many factors out. Not all calories are created
equal. On face, that may seem puzzling, but
different foods have the ability to trigger the
release of certain hormones, as well as to
trigger different immune reactions, and the
consequences of these biological mediators
released secondary to foods eaten all play a
role in weight gain. The fact that different
foods, based on our body’s reactions to them,
will release different mediators, means not all
calories are created equal. This is the rational
beyond diets that are low in carbohydrates.
Even if you portioned food so that the calories
from a portion of cake was equal to the calories
from broccoli, there would still be higher
carbohydrates in the cake, as well as less fiber.
This means the cake will trigger a release of
insulin, where as the broccoli does not. Insulin
tells the body to store fat. This means even
though the calories are the same the end result
is not. This is one of many reasons that calories
are not the only cause of weight gain. Food
sensitivities, like carbohydrates, will be another
reason for weight gain. It is not just calories.
If one is eating foods, they are sensitive to, even
if they are healthy, they will create
inflammation. This inflammation then results
in insulin receptors not working as well, and
dysregulation of insulin, which will also cause
weight gain. Eating foods we are sensitive can
have adverse reactions and contribute to
weight gain for a number of reasons. Insulin
dysregulation is one.
Another reason that food allergies can cause
weight gain is because if you are eating foods
you are sensitive to, you crave them more. The
reason for this is when you are sensitive to a
food you make an antibody to it. An antibody is
designed to attack an invader. If the invader is
not around, in this case the food you are
sensitive to, the antibody will attack your own
tissue instead. We begin to crave this food
because eating it again will distract the
antibody from attacking our own body, and it
will begin to attack the food again. However,
the more of the food you eat, the more of the
antibody you make, and the problem escalates.
Also, this antibody made to attack food also
creates cytokines as a by-product. These
cytokines begin to destroy neurotransmitters
which make us feel good, such as serotonin.
We now crave foods high in carbohydrates
because they easily cross the blood brain
barrier and make serotonin. However, these
foods are the same ones that make insulin, and
tell the body to store fat.
Food Sensitivity and Weight Gain (Continued)
Foods that we eat that create
inflammation, also trigger the
release of the hormone cortisol.
Cortisol is an anti-inflammatory
hormone that the body makes to
oppose inflammatory food sensitivity
reactions. However, over production of
cortisol causes weight gain around the middle
and can therefore be another way food
sensitivities contribute to increases in weight.
Overproduction of cortisol can also make one
feel anxious or contribute to insomnia, so food
sensitivities can be responsible for these
symptoms as well.
Food sensitivities create inflammation in the
gut. This inflammation will cause a decreased
absorption of nutrients. When the body
receives nutrient dense food, it releases a
hormone called GLP-1. This tells the brain we
are no longer hungry. This is why one can eat
a lot of calories, such as a bag of potato chips,
and still not feel full. Even though the calories
were high, the nutrients are low, which means
GLP-1 is not released. Similarly, if you are
eating healthy foods, but ones that cause
inflammation in your body, this local
inflammation will cause you to not absorb the
nutrients there and will result in the same
issue.
Food sensitivities not only create inflammation
in the gut, but systemically as well. These food
sensitivities will cause inflammation that
triggers the release of leptin. Leptin is the
hormone that works with insulin to tell us to
store more fat. Leptin will oppose other
hormones called adipokines, that tell us to
burn more fat. Inflammation in the body, as
well as gut will contribute to weight gain.
It is not a scenario that is merely defined by
calories. It is the types of food you eat, and a
matter of if they create inflammation in the
body. Even the healthiest foods can create
inflammation in the body by provoking an IgE
reaction, IgG reaction or complement reaction.
By measuring multiple ways your body can
react to foods you can truly define what foods
are healthy for you and are part of your fastest
path to normalizing your weight.
