Dr Mark Hyman on Eating Fat to Get Healthy - with Lewis Howes

He says the long-standing guidance to prioritize low-fat eating was built on weak evidence and ignored randomized trials that didn’t show benefit, and he links the resulting low-fat, high-starch pattern to rising obesity and diabetes.

He argues that different foods with the same calories have different effects on hormones, genes, inflammation, and the gut microbiome, using examples like broccoli versus sugary soda to illustrate different downstream effects.

He claims dietary fat reduces hunger and cravings, affects the brain’s “addiction center,” and can increase fat burning; he cites a controlled study he attributes to David Ludwig where higher fat (with equal calories) increased daily energy burn.

He describes “PEGAN” as a middle-ground framework emphasizing whole, unprocessed foods, lots of plants, and healthy fats, while being thoughtful about grains/beans and selective about meat quality and quantity.

He separates meat discussions into moral, environmental, and health issues, argues factory farming has major environmental costs, and recommends reducing meat intake (as a “condiment”) and choosing sustainably raised options when consumed.