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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
The Hidden Dangers in “Healthy” Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain
In "The Plant Paradox," Steven R. Gundry argues that certain plant-based foods, like grains and legumes, can be harmful to our health due to their lectin content. He provides a nutrition plan to reduce inflammation and improve overall well-being.
If you’ve ever seen a wildlife documentary, you’ll be aware that animals don’t just sit around waiting to become another animal’s dinner. Instead, prey animals develop defenses like long legs to outrun predators and advanced hearing and eyesight to sense approaching danger. But what about plants? If you have always assumed that plants are any more willing to become your next meal, think again.
Just like animals, the plants we consume also have defensive strategies against predatory attacks. A crucial weapon in their arsenal is a family of plant proteins called lectins, which exist in the leaves, seeds, skins and grains of most plants.
When lectins are consumed, they bind to sugar molecules in the animal’s brain and nerve endings, inhibiting the predator’s cells and nerves from communicating properly. This lack of communication between your nerves and cells results in brain fog, a term used to describe moments when you’re experiencing memory difficulties or having trouble focusing.
Plants produce these lectins in an attempt to teach predators that they should avoid eating those plants in the future.
Unfortunately for humans, some lectins not only stimulate mental confusion, but also cause you to gain weight.
One type of lectin that causes weight gain is wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). Found in wheat, this plant protein causes sugar to enter our body’s fat cells, where the sugar is then transformed into fat, thus making us put on weight.
In fact, these fat-producing properties are the reason wheat was originally favored as the grain of choice by those living in northern climates. It helped them gain and maintain weight in a time when food was far more scarce. Back then, having a “wheat belly” would help you survive the cold winters.
In this day and age, however, with an overabundance of food and the ubiquity of central heating, the weight gained from plant consumption isn’t such a welcome side effect.
The Plant Paradox (2017) alerts us to the dangers of eating seemingly healthy plant foods. It explores the differences between our diets and those of our ancestors’ and tells us which food products we should eat and which we should avoid to improve our digestion and maintain our optimal weight.
The Plant Paradox (2017) is a thought-provoking exploration of the hidden dangers in everyday foods and their impact on our health. Here's why this book is worth reading:
Mice and rats evolved as grain eaters 40 million years ago and have had far longer to become tolerant of these lectins: four thousand times longer.
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Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Get startedBlink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
What is the main message of The Plant Paradox?
The main message of The Plant Paradox is that not all plants are considered healthy and some may cause health issues.
How long does it take to read The Plant Paradox?
The reading time for The Plant Paradox varies depending on the reader's speed. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is The Plant Paradox a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Plant Paradox is worth reading as it presents an alternative perspective on the impact of certain plants on our health.
Who is the author of The Plant Paradox?
The author of The Plant Paradox is Steven R. Gundry.