Fructose Diet – Is it Sweet or Sour?
The fructose diet, also known as the Shangri-la diet was invented by University of California at Berkeley professor Seth Roberts, Ph.D. He reportedly used the fructose diet on himself over a 12 year period and kept data of his progress.
Roberts uses the Set Point theory as the basis for his fructose diet. The Set Point theory basically says that each person has a control system within themselves that regulates how much fat they should carry. If the weight you carry is lower than your set point, you’ll probably feel hungry. If the weight you carry is equal to your set point, you’ll probably feel satisfied. If the weight you carry is higher than your set point, you’ll probably feel full.
Roberts believes he’s found the solution to feeling satisfied, by drinking unflavored granulated fructose and unflavored canola or extra light olive oil between meals. Drinking this concoction essentially tricks the bodies set point into thinking it’s full.
Drinking 2-5 tablespoons per day of either granulated fructose or unflavored canola or extra light olive oil 1 hour before eating does the trick. According to Roberts this should give you a feeling of fullness and therefore eat less.
Roberts says that “our set point is determined by the flavors that we eat.” When you eat something, the flavors are remembered by your brain. Your stomach also sends signals that registers calories. The brain connects the flavors with the calories. The stronger that connections is, the more your set point goes up. Hence the reason for drinking unflavored granulated sugar and unflavored extra light olive oil. Since their is no flavor, the connection to food is minimal.
His book, The Shangri-La Diet is full of testimonials from people who swear by his diet. But there are also a few detractors who believe the fructose diet is not safe. The controversy centers around fructose itself. There have been many scientific studies that link fructose to insulin resistance as well as raising triglyceride levels.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition goes as far as saying that fructose in the form of high fructose corn syrup “…preceded the obesity epidemic and may be an important contributor to this epidemic in the United States.”
The Shangri-La or fructose diet may not be so sweet after all. Even if it works, it is hard to ignore the negative effects of fructose. Before trying the fructose diet, it may be prudent to do some research on fructose to get all the facts.
