Between gluons and galaxies

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN: WHY PIZZA IS HORRIBLE FOR YOU!

(Takes a deep breath) So here we go…

The conventional pizza you buy, whether it be in the pizza shop downtown or a frozen pizza from A&P, has two major components to them. When combined, these two components wreak havoc on any pre-summer dietary endeavor you may have (unless of course it’s gaining weight).

These two major components? FAT & SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES.

How does this happen?

First, eating simple carbohydrates spike your insulin levels. When our insulin levels spike it down regulates a hormone called hormone sensitive lipase (HSL). HSL is responsible for facilitating free fatty acids (FFA) out of adipocytes (fat cells) and into the blood stream in order for us to utilize them as energy. The more FFA removes = a decrease in adipocyte size = weight loss!

Second, a FFA is one of three FFA attached to a glycerol backbone (ALPHA-GLYCEROL PHOSPHATE).These are called triglycerides and these are what make a fat cell. The funny thing is that this glycerol backebone is a by-product of carbohydrate metabolism (breakdown of carbs). The more carbohydrates we eat, the more these glycerol molecules are created.

—-NOTE: Our bodies are in a constant state of flux where we burn fat and carbohydrates at rest and low intensity exercise so please don’t think eating carbohydrates will make you fat. It won’t…kinda.—-

So now, when we eat pizza, not only are we down regulating HSL BUT we are also forming all of the glycerol backbones for these fat molecules to bind to! 

So after reading this, any preconceived notion you may have about pizza being “good for you” because it has “everything” in a single slice yadda, yadda yadda, should be tossed out of  window. Thanks Dr. Jason Sawyer!

Read “The Textbook of Medical Physiology” by Guyton & Hall