Is fructose driving metabolic disease? | Dr Richard Johnson

In Episode #215, I’m joined by Dr Richard Johnson to discuss obesity, fructose, and metabolic disease.

“Fructose” has become something of a fear word in modern diet culture. It is often positioned as the villain, without the in-depth breakdown of where we are sourcing this fructose and the quantities it is consumed in. Similarly, the relationship between health and obesity is hotly contested. Dr Richard Johnson sits down with me today to clarify the scientific relationship between these factors, getting into what the evidence tells us.

In this episode, we take a broader view at the history of obesity before honing in on the biology and mechanisms. We discuss the ideology of obesity, whether you can be healthy at any size, and the degree of risk related to where you store fat. We also cover a variety of animal studies, sources of fructose, and how the modern food environment shapes our body weight.

Specifically, we discuss:

Intro (0:00)

History of Obesity (2:30)

Body Fat & Health Span (10:36)

Causes & Behavioral Patterns (23:55)

Fructose vs Excess Calories (38:18)

The Hazda (1:03:50)

Fructose & Fruit (1:11:10)

Fruitarians (1:22:25)

Not All Carbs are the Same (1:32:30)

Purines & Uric Acid (1:39:55)

Carnivore Diet (1:42:22)

Summarizing Obesity (1:53:56)

Outro (2:02:46)


To connect with Dr Richard Johnson, you can find him on Instagram and Twitter. You can also learn more at his website, https://drrichardjohnson.com/. His latest book, Nature Wants Us To Be Fat, is now available.

The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out, and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends.

Make sure to head to theproof.com/podcast for the full show notes.

Enjoy, friends.

Simon

Want to support the show?
If you are enjoying The Proof a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts or a comment on YouTube. It only takes a few minutes and helps more people find the episodes.


Simon Hill, Msc, Bsc (Hons)

Creator of Theproof.com and host of The Proof with Simon Hill


Author of The Proof is in the Plants


Watch the episodes on YouTube, or Listen on Apple/Spotify


Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook


Download my complimentary two week meal plan and plant performance