380: Blood Sugar, Food Noise + How to Control Hunger | Dr. Jason Fung

In this episode of Be Well by Kelly Levesque, Dr. Jason Fung dives deep into the science of hunger and weight regulation, challenging the long-standing 'calories in, calories out' myth. He explains that weight gain and loss are not simply about calorie counting but are driven by hormones—especially insulin and cortisol—that regulate a biological 'body fat thermostat.' Ultra-processed foods, which disrupt the food matrix and spike insulin rapidly, are shown to be a primary driver of overeating and metabolic dysfunction. Fung outlines three types of hunger—homeostatic (physical), hedonic (emotional/pleasure-driven), and conditioned (habitual/social)—and emphasizes that modern food environments are engineered to exploit these pathways through addictive ingredients and behavioral conditioning. He advocates for a shift in focus from calories to food quality, fasting, and environmental redesign, offering practical strategies like avoiding ultra-processed foods, incorporating natural fasting periods, and reengineering social and physical environments to reduce 'food noise.' The conversation underscores that hunger is not a personal failing but a physiological response shaped by food processing, hormones, and social habits, and that lasting change requires understanding the root causes of hunger rather than blaming willpower.