What’s Worse Eating Processed Sugar or Trans Fat (Doctor’s Opinion)
A recent question came in online: Which is worse, trans fats or processed sugar? Now, sometimes questions posed like this, which is worse, just begs the conclusion that they’re both bad for you. But based on research, trans fats are worse than processed sugar. Let’s get into the details to understand why that is.
About trans fat
Trans fat is an unsaturated fatty acid and a by-product of partially hydrogenated oils. It’s found in many processed foods, including margarine, coffee creamers, fast foods, frozen pizza, snack foods, and baked goods. Trans fat is also found in some peanut butter. It is frequently used by the food industry because it improves the stability of flavor and shelf life of food. It seems that the primary reason trans fats were added to the food system was due to the scrutiny of saturated fat that researchers had in the 1950s and ’60s. Considering the benefits to shelf life, flavor stability, and flexibility of food, manufacturers were gladly making the change from saturated fat to trans fat.
Medical professionals consider trans fat to be one of the most unhealthy compounds found in food today. Trans fat consumption is associated with an increase in bad cholesterol (or LDL), decrease in good cholesterol (HDL), and increased inflammation. These health risks can speed up the development of atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries, increase the risk of diabetes, coronary heart disease, and cardiac-related sudden death.
In 2015, the United States Food and Drug Administration announced its decision to eliminate trans fats from food in the United States by 2018. Even though the FDA has recognized the negative health effects of trans fats and is taking steps to remove it, trans fat is still prevalent in our food. While the American Dietetic Association recommends no more than 1% of your daily caloric intake come from trans fats, unclear nutrition labels mean a lot of trans fats are still sneaking into your diet. Anything labeled as “partially hydrogenated fat” or “zero grams of trans fat”, doesn’t mean that there’s no trans fat in the product. This is because the FDA previously allowed products to be labeled with “zero grams of trans fat” as long as the product had less than 0.5 grams of trans fat in it. Multiple servings of “zero” grams of trans fats foods can result in much more than the recommended amount.
In 2006, an analysis found that a 2% increase in trans fat intake is associated with a 23% in cardiovascular disease risk. Cutting commercial trans fat from 2.1% of daily energy intake to 1.1% could potentially prevent 72,000 cardiovascular deaths per year. A drop to 0.1% of daily average energy intake could potentially prevent 228,000 cardiovascular deaths every year in the US.
Now, there is a difference between processed trans fats and natural sources of trans fats. There are natural sources of trans fats that are produced by ruminant animals such as cows, sheep, and goats. The milk or dairy that they produce contain trans fats. The studies are quite clear that industrial, synthetic forms of trans fat cause an increase in risk factors of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but the same is not true from the naturally-occurring trans fat from ruminant animals.
About processed sugar
Some people cannot stop themselves from eating too much processed foods, in effect, eating their way into shorter lifespans caused by chronic conditions. It’s wise to be aware of both the evidence and your personal food habits and triggers for overeating junk food. The bottom line is that no amount of trans fats from industrial, synthetic forms has been deemed safe. On the other hand, you can eat sugar — as long as you do so extremely responsibly.
In the 1750s, our average intake of sugar was six to eight pounds per year. In the 1850s, that figure went up to 25 pounds per year. In the 1950s, it went up to 120 pounds per year. Currently, it sits around 130 pounds per year, which is about 40 teaspoons per day. That’s an enormous amount of sugar! Sugar is used for energy, but it’s the over consumption of processed sugar that is really detrimental to health. Estimates are that 20% of current caloric intake is from reduced empty calories of processed sugar.
Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, neotame, saccharine, sucralose, cyclamate, and alitame, have all been studied. The truth is that we do not yet know the full impact of artificial sweeteners. What we do know is that artificial sweeteners can trick the brain into thinking that you’re not eating something as sweet as it is, and so you tend to over-consume food. Researchers for Harvard University found that individuals who drink a lot of diet soda or take in a lot of artificial sweeteners may lose their taste for natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables. That’s where the problem lies — when you tend to overconsume processed sugars and artificial sweeteners with disregard to the natural sugars found in fruits in vegetables.
High-fructose corn syrup is a blend of both glucose and fructose where both molecules are joined together, but it’s highly processed. The metabolic response by the body in reference to mostly leptin and insulin levels are negative when it comes to high-fructose corn syrup. Currently, it’s been concluded by an expert panel that high-fructose corn syrup and sucrose do not have that much difference influence on body composition and obesity. But make no mistake, high-fructose corn syrup is not blameless when it comes to adult obesity. It does cause obesity when over-consumed and is constantly correlated with increases in obesity and the development of diabetes. Sugar-sweetened beverages are associated with chronic inflammation, which can be related to increased risk for diabetes and heart disease.
Processed sugar has been related to development of obesity, diabetes, fatty liver disease, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, cardiovascular disease, kidney stones, irritable bowel syndrome, fatigue, anxiety, depression, headaches, migraines, ADHD, PMS symptoms, candidiasis or overgrowth of yeast in the intestines, accelerated aging, and decreased immune function. So controlling your intake of processed sugar is important for health.
The bottom line is that you should eat whole foods and healthy fats. Here at Zenith Labs, we’ve created an extremely high quality, high potent Omega 3-7-9 + Krill Oil. You can use it to help cardiovascular disease and inflammation. Let us know your comments below!
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I believe in the original meaning of the word doctor, ‘docere’, which means teacher. I’m here to help educate you on how to take care of yourself in ways that you may not have heard of before, but that are effective. I always want to hear your ideas and feedback so be sure to leave me comments below!
The reasons dark chocolate may be beneficial are because of phenylethylamine but also because of the high amounts of polyphenols and antioxidants contained in dark chocolate. One study showed that patients suffering from peripheral artery disease (PAD) which causes difficulties in walking acutely improved their walking autonomy by eating dark chocolate (not milk chocolate). Eating dark chocolate every day helped patients walk pain-free. Apart from the polyphenols and antioxidant effects, it may have also been due to increasing nitric oxide levels, which helps to dilate blood vessels and improve blood flow.
Cacao bean, where dark chocolate is ultimately derived, is a rich source of bioactive compounds. One of which is a flavin thrill. Its consumption has been associated with several beneficial effects such as the positive modulation of the homeostasis targeted by platelet aggregation. If you can reduce platelet aggregation, you’re decreasing one of the important 
Another study showed that the polyphenols and flavonoids from cacao and dark chocolate 
Another study showed that a single ingestion of dark chocolate improves erythrocyte deformation. Erythrocytes are red blood cells and red blood cells are responsible for transferring the oxygen that we breathe to every cell in the body. When those erythrocytes or red blood cells are deformed, they have less oxygen donating capacity. The consumption acutely of dark chocolate may considerably improve blood flow throughout the body resulting in better tissue oxygenation.
We’ve actually developed a supplement of cacao melody which contains unrefined extracts from cacao or the bean that is ultimately made into chocolate. Being unprocessed means that it contains even higher amounts of the polyphenols and antioxidants that are responsible for chocolate’s beneficial effects. We’ve also included some botanical agents to improve cheerful health, energy levels to promote an overall improvement in your mood and physical health. Check it out and let us know what you think!
Even though the term “high protein diet” varies in definition from one study to the next, evidence supports the idea that eating 0.8 grams per kilogram body weight results in less hunger, reduced appetite, increased energy levels, and preservation or increased blood sugar levels. A recent meta-analysis study of 74 randomized controlled trials showed that eating higher protein diets significantly reduced cardiometabolic risk factors and risk factors for diabetes, body weight, BMI, weight circumference, 
What cannot be ignored, however, is the way in which the protein food sources are prepared. The cost of high-heat cooking in a randomized controlled study showed that high-heat cooking had negative effects on diabetes. This applies to methods of cooking including boiling, poaching, stewing, steaming, rather than frying, baking, or grilling. The premise of the study was that harsher cooking methods increased the formation of advanced glycation end-products (or AGEs) that exacerbate insulin resistance. The study showed that consuming high heat cooking foods showed more signs of inflammation and more signs of glycolysis and poor glucose control.
In fact, the order in which we eat our meals can also influence insulin sensitivity, even though most people don’t consider this in their dietary routines. A study showed that both blood sugar and insulin levels were lower after meals that started with protein and veggies before carbohydrates, compared to eating carbohydrates first. So even the order in which you eat foods is important.
When it comes to breakfast, we want high protein and lots of colors. The adage goes, “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper”. We want a lot of calories for breakfast so it sustains your energy and blood sugar levels throughout the day.
As a side to your high-protein breakfast, have some cottage cheese with sliced avocados. You’ll get healthy fatty acids from the avocado, and more proteins from the cottage cheese. You can add some berries, raspberries, blueberries, nuts, almond or pumpkin seeds, for some powerful antioxidants.
If you have diabetes, try this salad and soup for lunch. It’s high in protein and packed full of anti-inflammatory agents. This green salad is a version of the Cobb salad or Chef’s salad. It contains a mixture of spinach, mixed greens, butter bibb lettuce, hard-boiled egg, turkey bacon, sliced avocados, sliced or diced tomatoes, chicken, cheese (blue cheese is traditional in a Cobb salad but you can use any shredded or sliced cheese you wish), topped off with cranberries, green onions, and roasted beets.
A great soup for a diabetic is a coconut bean soup because beans really help to control blood sugar levels. You get the benefits of the MCT that’s contained in coconut and all of the benefits of coconut milk.
Salmon is a great option for dinner. You can get a wild salmon fillet and marinate it for a bit with honey, herbs, and spices for a delicious meal. Choose wild salmon typically from the Pacific Northwest or Alaska because it contains significantly less heavy metals and pesticides and other toxins that are found in farm-raised salmon. You can also top the salmon with basil pesto and receive the antioxidant effects of basil along with the essential fatty acids in the salmon.
For some greens on the dinner table, make some steamed broccoli. It’s super easy, all you have to do is steam broccoli for about 10-15 minutes and then put herbs and spices on top.
If you have diabetes you know how important it is to keep your blood sugar levels stable and level throughout the day. In addition to breakfast, lunch, and dinner, incorporating at least a few healthy high protein snacks is very important. What are the options?
Now, obviously these are just a few recipes, breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. You should explore with high protein meals and meal colors. It’s recommended to include nine meal colors every single day and have a high protein diet of at least 0.8 milligrams per kilogram body weight of protein. If you have recipes and dietary regimens and plans, post them in the comments so that others can learn from you.
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The first thing you should be doing in the morning is deep breathing exercises. You may ask yourself, “Why am I engaging in quiet breathing right after I just slept quietly and breathed quietly for six, seven, eight, nine hours?” The reason behind this is intention and exercising the muscles of breath, the big diaphragm underneath the ribs, the intercostal muscles which pull the ribs apart and the scalene. Just sitting down for five minutes each and every morning exercising those breathing muscles can strengthen them, so unconsciously, when you’re not thinking about it, you’re taking deeper breaths throughout the day.
Also, this is an important time to set your intention for the day. Many people do it through positive self-affirmations or mantras. You can do this quietly in your head or you can say it out loud. For some individuals, writing down affirmations give them a visual feedback so that they are encouraged throughout the day. You can set your intentions by starting your sentence with “I will achieve…”, or use the positive affirmations below.
Take the first five minutes of your breathing exercise to really focus on pushing your belly out, expanding the ribs, pulling the ribcage up, feeling the air go in and out of your nose. In the last five minutes of breathing exercises, set your daily intentions, and go through the mantras.
The next thing is to have a glass of either 
The next thing to do is exercise, or rather, movement. Calling it “movement” instead of exercise removes the idea that you have to go to the gym and pound out weights or engage in cross-training, and that you have to work up a sweat. That’s not the point of morning movement. The point of morning movement is just to get blood flow going to the muscles, spine, joints, and up to the brain. You can do your exercise/morning movement outdoors surrounded by the elements. It really invigorates the system much more than staying indoors.
Green tea continues to hydrate you and it has powerful antioxidants, polyphenols like catechins and epicatechins as well as detoxifying the system. It has a little bit of caffeine so it perks up the brain a bit. Then, the probiotic just sets up the digestion for the day. At Zenith Labs, we’ve created a really high dose probiotic called T-50 which you should check out.
Many people do something terrible with breakfast — they skip it and ignore it. That is a poor decision because science has shown that skipping breakfast can increase your risk factors for both the development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, and it should be your largest meal of the day. Many people, if they’re not skipping breakfast, they’re eating a quick breakfast on the go that’s empty in calories and empty in the important macro and micronutrients that really need to get you going throughout the day and to keep you healthy and well.
If you have time after breakfast, just take a brief 5-10 minute walk. You could just walk your dog, or walk with your spouse or a friend. The walking actually improves the digestive process and, again, gets your system going for the day.
Next is a shower. Most people take a piping hot shower in the morning. This is what I recommend. Before showering in the morning, do some skin brushing to remove dry skin cells. It can be done with a loofah all over the body and is detoxifying. Then, do a contrast shower. You can start with a hot or warm shower, but end it with about 30 seconds cold. It’s been done for hundreds and hundreds of years, and is very invigorating to the body and to the brain. If that’s intimidating for you, you can start with maybe just five seconds, turn that nob to cold, and gradually build yourself up to 10, 15, eventually 30 seconds.
Before you walk out the door, have another glass of water to hydrate the system. Morning is a great time to hydrate. You should remove all technology during this whole morning routine. No phone, no text, no computer, no TV, no technology of any kind.
1-2 eggs
Take about a teaspoon of either chia or flaxseeds and put it in a shot glass.
Two large eggs
This is a colorful, protein-packed breakfast that will start your day off right! You can have the same side of cottage cheese or yogurt and berries with your main. Alternatively, try a smoothie to help boost the caloric intake of your breakfast as well as providing more colors, fiber, protein, herbs, and spices. You can use either kefir or coconut milk for the liquid, and throw in frozen berries, spinach or kale, and thicken with peanut butter or almond butter. You can also add a powder like cacao or greened powder for extra antioxidants, or a collagen powder that helps skin health and tightens fine lines and wrinkles. Simple!
Celery is also known by its scientific name, “apium graveolens”. It’s in the APACA family of vegetables and plants, many of which have beneficial effects. Historically, celery has been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, gout, hysteria, nervousness, headache, 
The most important compound of celery is called apigenin. It’s a natural flavonoid widely distributed in plants such as celery in the APACA family. Research has shown that higher intakes of apigenin can reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases. Dietary or therapeutic apigenin has value as a good cellular regulator in cancer, especially cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.
In one study with mice, celery leaf extract or celery stalk extract (i.e. celery juice) reduced blood pressure, cholesterol, tri-glycerides, and improved risk factors in mice for cardiovascular disease. Another study was done on mice on a chemotherapeutic agent called doxorubicin, one of the most potent and toxic chemotherapeutic drugs commonly used in the treatment of cancer. Researchers gave all the mice doxorubicin and only gave a sub-group of mice celery juice. Incorporating celery juice with doxorubicin seemed to protect the sub-group against damage from the potent drug, likely due to increasing a powerful antioxidant called glutathione and other antioxidant effects. Some celebrities and medical mediums have called it a miracle juice.
Celery juice helps stimulate bile production from the liver and the gallbladder so it potentially can help 
You can make celery juice with a juicer, that’s pretty easy. You can also make it through a blender. It is recommended that you chop the celery up first so those celery strands don’t bind up the blender. After that, add a little bit of water to the blender, blend it up and then you’ll have to pour it into a muslin bag or a hemp bag and squeeze out the juice. If you want to boost your drink with more benefits, you can make a powerful juice cocktail by adding a few other ingredients such as beet, carrots, apples, and ginger.
Celery juice is generally safe for most people but there are some precautions to take when drinking pure celery juice.
