Why We Get Fat

A new book has recently caught my attention. It's called "Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It," written by a science journalist, Gary Taubes.

His hypothesis is too much insulin is making us fat. It's not about eating less. It's not about overeating. It's about energy, says Taubes, and how it's used in our bodies.

If we eat a lot of carbohydrates, it causes too much insulin production. We then to deal with the increased blood sugar in our system. Insulin eats glucose, or sugar, in the blood to put it simply.

If we consume less carbohydrates (glucose), then our insulin will resort to stored body fat for energy.

The challenge is the vicious cycle of being fat causes us to crave even more carbohydrates and sugar. This raises insulin levels and keeps body fat in storage. It snowballs - more fat and more carbs equals more fat.