ExclusiveVinegar, Rye, Steel-Cut Oats, and Other Fat Busters | Jason Fung MD｜Vital Signs

We’ve long treated weight loss as a math problem. But what if it’s really a hormonal one?

For decades, weight loss advice has revolved around a simple formula: eat fewer calories. But on “Vital Signs,” nephrologist (kidney doctor) and best-selling author Dr. Jason Fung says that the real story is far more nuanced —and far more hormonal.

Fung points to research showing that two identical foods can produce dramatically different insulin responses depending on how they’re processed. Steel-cut oats and instant oats contain the same calories and carbohydrates, yet instant oats can trigger a 30 to 40 percent higher insulin spike.

Similarly, whole fruit produces a smaller hormonal impact than applesauce. Even cooling rice overnight can change its starch structure, reducing how much glucose the body absorbs.

The culprit, he says, is ultra-processing. When fiber, fat, and protein are stripped away, carbohydrates are absorbed rapidly, driving sharp glucose and insulin surges that may increase hunger later. Add flavor enhancers and hyper-palatable textures, and the effect can begin to resemble addiction.

Studies using the Yale Food Addiction Scale suggest a significant minority of people show addiction-like responses specifically to ultra-processed foods.

Fung’s prescription is not calorie counting but structural change: Avoid ultra-processed foods, create defined eating windows, and build supportive systems around meals. In cultures where food remains ritualized and less industrialized, obesity rates remain markedly lower.

Defusing hunger to lose weight via these strategies is the focus of his new book, “The Hunger Code.”

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Vital Signs’ host, guests, and contributors offer general information on improving health and wellness. This is not intended as diagnosis or medical advice. You should consult your medical doctor or holistic doctor before enacting any suggested strategies for health and wellness improvement, including those in relation to preventing or treating specific diseases featured on this program.