Another Excuse For Overeating: Brain Size
And no, I'm not talking about slap-wrap bracelets, Speedos, sneakers with lights in them or even the Ford Pinto.
Some researchers believe the dramatic growth of our brains is what drives us to over consume calorie-rich foods, which is fine when you're running from a saber tooth tiger, but not so good when you're stuck sitting behind a desk all day.
Presented at the 2009 American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting, William Leonard, chair and professor of anthropology at Northwestern University, claims during the time of early man eating nutritionally dense foods was necessary to satisfy the demands of our ever-growing brains.
It's our big brains that separate man from beast, but nowadays we're all so fat it's getting harder and harder to tell the difference.
That's the problem! We still have this compulsion to consume calorie-dense foods, like cheeseburgers loaded with saturated fat, and this has created energy imbalances, i.e. too many calories and not enough activity, contributing to today's obesity epidemic.
Simply feeding the human brain, which needs roughly twice the amount of calories as other mammals, might be making us fat!
Now, when you're hunting for food, constantly on the move or fending off predators, a T-bone steak might be okay, but in the modern world, where a meal is just a phone call away, we can't pig out like our ancestors.
So, unless you're tracking and trapping that barbecued rib sandwich you're devouring, you might want to tell your brain it's had ENOUGH or at very least try eating something healthier.
I'd suggest more fruits and veggies. Oh, and exercise too!
Via ScienceDaily.
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Eat more meat. It's what got us our large brains in the first place.
ReplyHaha, that's quite the simplistic solution to a "large" problem. But Id have to agree... can't go wrong with meat that is LEAN & CLEAN.
ReplyI agree with Pahood...You claim a gowing brain demands more food so we eat more saturated fat, even though the brains go to fuel is glucose... maybe its not the burger, but the fries and drinks that go with it
ReplyI think you're best bet is to eat natural foods, nutrient-dense or not, just like our ancestors did. Meat, eggs, nuts, fruits, vegetables, honey, etc. Humans didn't get fat eating all-natural nutrient-dense foods; they got fat by eating artificially calorie-dense foods that are created in a factory. Your stomach can't tell the difference between being full of 200 calories' worth of veggies and fruit and being full of 1,000 calories' worth of chips. Our ancestors never had nutrition labels on their foods, which is probably a pretty good indicator that those types of food are the best kinds to eat. I don't think many cavemen went around thinking "Gee, I wonder how many calories are in this bison steak?" or "I hope these berries don't go to my thighs".
Replythere is no minimum daily requirement for refined sugar. soda is the enemy. the rest is okay.
ReplyI find if I am eating nutrient rich food that I tend to be less hungry... and have less cravings. Is that because my body is looking for nutrients and will keep on demanding food until it gets it? Or is it just the sugar-insulin thing kicking in? I don't know, but what I DO know is that when I eat vegies, fruit, eggs, milk, good quality fresh meat, and so forth I end up feeling fuller sooner and longer...
ReplyI find its not only how much you eat and what you eat, but when you eat. I believe eat only once every 5 hours.
And as my gran used to say, you are full when you can still have just a little bit more!
ReplyWhen you eat is often overlooked, but so important for metabolism and to stop cravings. I just did a podcast on this very topic! However I would say you have to eat more frequently than 5 hour intervals; say every 21/2-3 hours - start with breakfast as soon as you get up, then a snack, then lunch, then a snack, then dinner, then a snack at least an hour before bed.
Replyif you eat that often - all your routine gets centered around food - you get obsessed with it... i tried it (though rather to gain weight) and it was just crazy... furthermore, such an eating pattern inevitably leads to overeating...
Reply