NHS Shakes
If the government wants a healthier nation, it needs to address the bigger issue (bigger by far than obesity) which is our propensity to eat a diet high in sugar, carbs and highly-processed foods. As a direct result of their appalling diet, only 1-in-8 of our US cousins are metabolically healthy. Yes you read that right only 12.5% of American adults have none of the features of metabolic syndrome – the syndrome which drives type2 diabetes, poor heart health and much else besides. Over 60% of America’s calories are derived from ultra-processed foods and we in the UK are NOT far behind.
So, if you are diabetic or prediabetic, obese or simply overweight, ultra-processed low-calorie soups and shakes are not the answer. Having a balanced diet based on real foods that are natural and full of nutrients is the way forward.
Minimizing the amount of calories you consume, by eating fake foods such as these soups or shakes will likely help you to lose some weight fast. But you’ll feel hungry within an hour and grumpy (aka “HANGRY” – and obsessed with thoughts of your next meal. Rinse and repeat!
These shakes are so processed and high in sugar that your energy levels will spike. Then your insulin will spike in response, dragging your blood sugar back under control and your body will crave more. This pattern is extremely dangerous, and leads to deadly diseases like type2 diabetes, heart disease, blindness, neuropathy, and kidney failure and so on.
Infograhic: Courtesy of Dr Aseem Malhotra “21-Day Immunity Plan”
Once you complete your “shake diet”, your weight will quickly pile back on with interest. Within 12 months most people are back to the same weight or even heavier because they’ve inadvertently deprived their bodies of essential nutrients.
The human body is a self-regulating system. Deprive it of calories and it will burn fewer of them in an attempt to maintain its weight. So while people on the trial might congratulating themselves on their weight loss, their body is wondering what the hell is going on and doing everything in its power to reverse it.
In truth there are certain factors you can’t change — such as your genes, age or past behaviours — but there are so many ways to reduce your diabetes risk.
Quite simply, eating sugary processed foods and refined carbs is a fast track to diabetes.
Performing regular physical activity, while it won’t help you lose weight, WILL help combat diabetes. For example, exercise increases the insulin sensitivity of your cells. So when you exercise, less insulin is required to keep your blood sugar levels under control.
Its assumed that being overweight causes diabetes but its more complex than that. People with prediabetes (many of whom are not overtly fat) do carry excess weight in their midsection and around abdominal organs, especially the liver. This is known as visceral fat.
Excess visceral fat promotes inflammation and insulin resistance. In short it is fat in the wrong place which leads to diabetes