And when the production of adiponectin drops, the body’s ability to
balance blood sugar also drops. The reason is simple. Adiponectin
produced by fat cells is a protein that helps insulin bind onto cells
and encourages the flow of sugar out of the bloodstream and into
the cells. When fat cells stop producing enough adiponectin, too
much sugar stays in the blood.
Keeping Inflammation in Check
What does this complicated set of events mean for a meal plan based
on the World’s Healthiest Foods? First, it means that a diet that can
prevent over-accumulation of fat in fat cells is highly desirable. What
diet best prevents over-accumulation of fat in fat cells? Research
suggestsit is the diet that contains the greatest percentage of nutrient-
rich foods such as the World’s Healthiest Foods—foods that provide
the best variety and quantity of nutrients for the least amount of
calories. Second, it means that blood sugar balance and inflammatory
balance are extremely important when weight is a problem. Because
the World’s Healthiest Foods are concentrated in nutrients required
for blood sugar regulation, insulin regulation, and inflammatory
balance,they are also your best bet when you have excess fat in your
fat cells. They are the perfect foods for getting you safely from here
(excess fat in fat cells) to there (fat cells not triggering inflammation
from excess storage of fat).
I believe that avoidance of chronic inflammation plays a very
important role in weight management. If the body is experiencing
too much inflammation, it will not only risk damage to cells and
tissues—and cause a domino-like cascade that can lead to disease—
but it will also tax our nutrient supplies. It will beckon for antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory nutrients to help stave off untoward physio-
logical events. This process will in turn reduce the supply of nutrients
that our body has available to accomplish its other functions.
Remember also that inflammation can upset the metabolism that is
going on in our fat cells and disrupt the communication that our fats
cells are trying to have with our brain, digestive system, and blood-
World’s Healthiest Foods Reduce Inflammation