Be Well by Kelly Leveque 380: Blood Sugar, Food Noise + How to Control Hunger | Dr. Jason Fung
Apr 8, 2026
Dr. Jason Fung, physician and author known for metabolic health and fasting, explains why hunger is hormonal, not lack of willpower. He covers how insulin, cortisol and processed foods drive cravings. He defines three types of hunger and discusses food reward, conditioned eating, and practical rules to tame appetite.
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Hormones Decide What Calories Become
- Calories alone don't determine fat gain because hormones decide whether eaten calories are stored or burned.
- Dr. Jason Fung explains insulin and other hormones direct calories into body fat or fuel, so cookie calories act differently than broccoli calories.
Body Fat Has A Setpoint Thermostat
- The body maintains a fat thermostat (homeostasis) that adjusts hunger and metabolism to defend a set body-fat level.
- Overfeeding raises leptin to suppress hunger; insulin and cortisol raise the thermostat and drive weight gain via hunger increases.
Choose Unprocessed Carbs To Slow Insulin Spikes
- Avoid ultra-processed carbohydrates to slow digestion and blunt insulin spikes.
- Dr. Jason Fung contrasts apples versus applesauce and steel-cut oats versus instant oats to show processing speeds absorption and raises insulin.
