What If Your Diet Is Affecting Your Brain More Than You Think?
Mark Hyman talks with researcher Michael Goran about how ultra processed foods affect the body and brain from pregnancy through childhood. They focus on why liquid sugar and corn syrup baby formula worry them most.
The gist
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Goran says six-year-olds already get 60% of their calories from ultra processed foods, linked in his study to 2% lower subcortical brain volume.
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Goran says sweeteners, including stevia and monk fruit, may lead people to eat more calories overall and can change the gut microbiome.
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Goran calls liquid sugar the most damaging thing to cut. Hyman cites a 23% higher diabetes risk per 12-ounce soda. Both suggest diluting with sparkling water.
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Goran says 55 to 60% of US formula uses corn syrup solids, and about half of babies on it had wildly swinging blood sugar.
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Goran suggests starting small with scratch cooking, such as buying plain yogurt and adding your own fruit instead of relying on packaged foods.
"If you can just start to move the needle towards doing more scratch cooking and less reliance on processed and packaged foods, I think the evidence shows that just starting small and sustaining and growing from that can have an impact over time."
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"If you can just start to move the needle towards doing more scratch cooking and less reliance on processed and packaged foods, I think the evidence shows that just starting smal..."
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