The World's Best Book Summaries
What’s the best diet for the brain? What foods should you eat to keep your brain healthy and your mind sharp? What foods should you avoid? A healthy diet is a vital part of brain health. While there’s no general consensus on the best brain diet, there’s plenty of evidence to suggest that you should eat certain foods regularly and avoid other foods as much as possible. Learn which foods are good for your brain and which ones can be potentially harmful.
How does meal timing affect your insulin? What happens in your body when you eat too frequently? When you eat every few hours (including snacking), your insulin remains elevated. When insulin levels are both high and constant, your body’s cells become insulin resistant. That kicks off the self-perpetuating loop of chronically high insulin that promotes weight gain. Here’s how meal timing affects your insulin.
Which foods spike insulin the most? How does insulin promote overeating? Everything you eat causes insulin release, but some foods spike insulin significantly more than others. Processed carbohydrates—specifically wheat and added sugars—cause insulin to spike dramatically, promoting overeating despite lacking nutritional value. Below, we’ll break down the foods that spike insulin.
What is the main cause of obesity? Is obesity a disease or simply a result of eating an excess amount of calories? According to Jason Fung, the “calories in, calories out” theory fails to capture the full picture of obesity. Excess calories play a part, but they aren’t the root cause of obesity. More specifically, this theory fails to appreciate that obesity is a hormonal disease, rather than a problem of willpower or bad eating habits. In his book Obesity Code, Fung lays out five mistaken premises that hamper the current model of obesity. Here are five myths about obesity
What made Eurasia a prime location for domesticable plants? How did Eurasia’s geographic location give it an advantage? Jared Diamond, a historian, geographer, and ornithologist, contends that Eurasia benefited from having geographical features that supported the diffusion of crops and the rise and spread of food production. He said that the two features that set Eurasia apart were its axis orientation and the lack of topographic and ecological factors. Continue reading to learn about the history of the diffusion of crops in Eurasia.
How do carbs contribute to weight gain? What kind of carbs should you avoid? Carbs are vilified because of their potential to raise your levels of insulin, which is a fat-storage hormone. However, not all carbs are created equal. Vegetables consist mostly of carbs, but they are good for you because they contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The kind of carbs you should avoid are refined carbs and added sugars. Here’s what you need to know about carbs and weight gain.
Does meat make you fat? How does eating meat contribute to weight gain? When it comes to meat’s fattening potential, there seems to be a division of opinion, even amongst scientists. Some say that meat (especially, lean meat such as chicken breast) is great for weight loss because it contains no carbs. Others say that eating meat is associated with weight gain. Here’s what Dr. Jason Fung says on the matter.
What is Jared Diamond’s theory about food production and farming in Eurasia? What factors created the Fertile Crescent? According to historian, geographer, and ornithologist Jared Diamond, Eurasia developed and thrived thanks to its food production. One huge factor in that food production was the fact Eurasia was located in the Fertile Crescent, a geographical location perfectly suited for domesticable plants. Here’s a closer look at Jared Diamond’s theory on Eurasia and the Fertile Crescent.
When did calorie counting come about? Do calories matter when it comes to weight loss? Calorie-counting as a method for monitoring weight loss has been around since the early 1900s. In the 1950s, early studies concluded that weight gain was the result of excess calories. Given this, researchers believed that dietary fat—a high-calorie food—causes weight gain. Here’s how the “calories in, calories out” myth came about and why it’s wrong.
What are the main causes of malnutrition? Why are the poor malnourished in spite of the efforts of policymakers? In Poor Economics, MIT professors Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee discuss a well-known problem among the poor: malnutrition. They argue that this problem doesn’t stem from lack of food per se, but from lack of nutrition. In other words, the poor are not starving for calories, they are starving for nutrients. Here’s what MIT professors Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee have to say about the causes of malnutrition amongst the poor.