<div dir="ltr"> <p>In this "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episode, Peter and Bob talk all about sugar and sugar substitutes and provide a way to think about sugar consumption. The conversation begins by defining the various forms of sugar, delineating between added sugar and naturally occurring sugar, and describing the important variables that determine the potential for metabolic damage from consumption. They then take a dive deep into three main categories of sugar substitutes—non-nutritive sweeteners, alcohol sugars, and leaving allulose, in a class by itself—including the safety profile of each, impact on blood sugar and insulin, side-effects, taste preferences, and more. </p> <div>If you're not a subscriber and listening on a podcast player, you'll only be able to hear a preview of the AMA. If you're a subscriber, you can now listen to this full episode on your <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/members/private-podcast-feed/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">private RSS feed</a> or on our website at the <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/ama18/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AMA #18 show notes page</a>. If you are not a subscriber, you can learn more about the subscriber benefits <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>. </div> <p>We discuss:</p> <ul type="disc"> <li>Delineating the various forms of "sugar" (2:00);</li> <li>Added sugar vs. naturally occurring sugar (12:30);</li> <li>Important variables related to sugar consumption: Density, volume, and velocity (17:00);</li> <li>Alternatives to sugar: Non-nutritive sweeteners (22:30);</li> <li>Alternatives to sugar: Alcohol sugars (34:15);</li> <li>Alternatives to sugar: Allulose (39:00);</li> <li>Contextualizing risk when it comes to sugar substitutes (45:00);</li> <li>Why some people report feeling better when eliminating non-nutritive sweeteners from their diet (46:30);</li> <li>The impact of sweetness—Cephalic insulin response and the metabolic drive to eat more (49:45); and</li> <li>More.</li> </ul> <p>Learn more: <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/">https://peterattiamd.com/</a><br /> <br /> Show notes page for this episode: <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/ama18/">https://peterattiamd.com/ama18/</a> <br /> <br /> Subscribe to receive exclusive subscriber-only content: <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/">https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/</a><br /> <br /> Sign up to receive Peter's email newsletter: <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter/">https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter/</a><br /> <br /> Connect with Peter on <a href="http://Facebook.com/PeterAttiaMD"><u>Faceboo</u></a><u>k</u> | <a href="http://Twitter.com/PeterAttiaMD"><u>Twitter</u></a> | <a href="http://Instagram.com/PeterAttiaMD"><u>Instagram</u></a>.</p> </div>
Actionable Insights
1. Seek Professional Medical Advice
Do not use the podcast’s general information as a substitute for professional medical advice; always seek assistance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions you have. The podcast content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or form a doctor-patient relationship.
2. Think Molecules, Not Names
When considering “sugar” or similar substances, shift your perspective to think about them through the lens of their constituent molecules (e.g., glucose, fructose) rather than generic names. This approach is more helpful because generic terminology is unhelpful and inaccurate, as it lumps together many different molecules with distinct metabolic effects.
3. Check Food Labels for Added Sugars
When examining food labels, specifically look for both “sugars” (total sugars) and “added sugars” listed separately. A properly adherent food label provides this distinction, which is crucial for understanding the sugar content and making informed dietary choices.
4. Access Membership Benefits
To access complete AMA episodes and a wealth of other member-only benefits, visit peteratiyahmd.com/subscribe. Membership includes comprehensive show notes, a private podcast feed (“the qualies”), steep discount codes for products, and more in-depth exclusive content.
5. Consult Lustig & Johnson
To understand the dramatically different metabolic effects of glucose and fructose, listen to podcasts featuring Rob Lustig and Rick Johnson. They do an exceptional job explaining why these molecules, despite similar chemical formulas, have profound metabolic differences.
6. Sweetness Indicates Fructose
As a general rule, use the level of sweetness in a food as an indicator: the sweeter it is, the more fructose it likely contains. This can help in making informed food choices, given fructose’s distinct metabolic effects.
7. Natural Sugars: Glucose & Fructose
Understand that naturally sweet foods like apples, honey, and mangoes contain a balance of both glucose and fructose. This clarifies the molecular composition of “natural” sugars and helps avoid misconceptions.
8. Review Conflicts of Interest
To understand potential conflicts of interest, visit peteratiamd.com/about where Peter Attia keeps an up-to-date and active list of his disclosures and companies he invests in or advises. The host takes conflicts of interest very seriously.
9. Download Member Podcast Feed
If you are already a member and hearing this sneak peek, download the member-only podcast feed from peteratiamd.com/members. This provides full access to AMA episodes and eliminates the need to listen to partial versions.
10. Follow Peter Attia Socially
Connect with Peter Attia and potentially access more content or updates by following him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, all using the ID “peteratiamd.”
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