How do food combinations affect insulin?

Food combinations can significantly affect insulin response, as explained by Andrew Huberman and guest Robert Lustig on the Huberman Lab.

1. Diet Soda and Food: Consuming diet sodas with food, such as a sandwich or burger, can enhance the insulin response due to a Pavlovian conditioning effect. Later, even just consuming the diet soda alone can trigger a stronger insulin response than if the diet soda was consumed separately from food. The presence of sweetness induces the brain to prepare for sugar intake, leading to insulin release even in the absence of actual sugar 1.

2. Food Combinations and Fiber: Combining foods in ways that incorporate fiber can help to moderate the insulin response. Fiber reduces the absorption of glucose and manages the insulin surge. A proprietary fiber product discussed blunted the insulin response by reducing glucose absorption and supporting gut health, which feeds into a moderated systemic insulin response 2.

3. Conditioning and Insulin: External stimuli associated with food, like the smell from a bakery, can conditionally increase insulin release. This phenomenon is linked to classical conditioning where unrelated stimuli (like a bell or a smell) can trigger an insulin response due to previously established associations 3.

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     1

     Diet Soda Dilemma

     02:29:43
     
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     2

     Fiber and Food Science

     03:12:52
     
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     3

     Conditioned Responses

     00:28:52
     

In essence, the way foods are combined, especially with elements like artificial sweeteners or fibers, along with the learned associations from our environment, can deeply influence how insulin is released in the body.