{"id":465355,"date":"2026-03-09T05:02:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T05:02:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/465355\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T05:02:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T05:02:13","slug":"consultant-weight-surgeon-lists-four-foods-he-would-never-eat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/465355\/","title":{"rendered":"Consultant weight surgeon lists four foods he would never eat"},"content":{"rendered":"

Andrew Jenkinson says it isn’t how much you eat, but what you eat that makes the differenceNeil Shaw<\/a> Assistant Editor (Money and Lifestyle)<\/p>\n

11:57, 08 Mar 2026<\/p>\n

\"Bread<\/p>\n

Bread is packed with refined carbs and is a ‘leptin buster’<\/p>\n

A bariatric surgeon says the best way to boost your metabolism, help weight loss, dampen inflammation and live a happier and longer life isn’t counting calories – it is sticking to a list of specific foods. Consultant bariatric surgeon Andrew Jenkinson said food is the answer to many medical problems, but warned: “The door can swing the other way too \u2013 this same \u2018drug\u2019 can also cause weight gain, obesity, diabetes, inflammation, allergies and misery.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike any addictive drug, it can interfere with your reward pathways, make you feel unnaturally high, and lead to addictions and the formation of bad habits \u2013 and those bad habits and that unhealthy body become you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jenkinson, who specialises in weight loss surgery and laparoscopic procedures in London\u2019s Harley Street, believes calories are less important than what food does to your body and brain. He\u2019s adamant that if people treated food as a drug, where certain foods are considered \u2018toxic\u2019 and others \u2018medicinal\u2019, they would be able to lead a healthier lifestyle far more easily.<\/p>\n

\"You<\/p>\n

You need a diet high in whole foods<\/p>\n

\u201cThe calories in your food are of secondary importance to your weight and health,\u201d he insists. \u201cIt\u2019s what the food does to your body, and just as importantly what it does to your brain, that matters.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce you grasp that food works just like a drug, and that the drug can be either medicinal or toxic, your whole outlook on food will change. Armed with this knowledge, you will have the keys to unlock a healthier life, without needing to resort to willpower, because once you understand how food affects you, you will naturally start to crave good food.\u201d<\/p>\n

The surgeon, who has outlined the way he believes food affects us in his new book How to Eat (And Still Lose Weight), explains that different components of food carry messages that are interpreted by the body in the same way as drugs. \u201cIt\u2019s not the calories in the food that directly shift someone\u2019s weight upwards or downwards \u2013 it is these signals,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Once someone has accepted food is like a drug, they need to learn which are the good food \u2018drugs\u2019 and which are the bad ones, explains Jenkinson. \u201cThis changes our whole psyche in relation to food \u2013 we take on the identity of someone who lives healthily. This type of change is more fun, can be embraced with enthusiasm and does not rely on willpower alone. \u201c<\/p>\n

What to eat less of<\/p>\n

High sugar and refined carbohydrates<\/p>\n

Jenkinson explains that leptin, a hormone produced by fat cells, is crucial for maintaining a healthy weight as it increases metabolism and decreases appetite. But people who are obese can develop inflammation, which stops the leptin doing its job, leading to leptin resistance.<\/p>\n

Certain foods containing high sugar and refined carbohydrates are what Jenkinson calls leptin busters. \u201cThese block healthy leptin signalling, leading to weight gain,\u201d he says. \u201cLeptin busters are any foods containing large amounts of sugar and highly refined carbs, including cakes, pasta and bread.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sweetened soft drinks<\/p>\n

Fructose is a naturally-occurring sugar found in fruits, honey and many other plant foods, and it\u2019s often added to processed foods and sweetened soft drinks. Jenkinson says if a lot of fructose is consumed, it can trigger a weight gain signal within cells.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis newly-discovered primitive response would normally remain dormant unless very high quantities of fructose are sensed,\u201d he explains. \u201cBut these high fructose concentrations are found in processed foods \u2013 flicking on the fructose switch and leading to weight gain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Avoid<\/p>\n

Avoid processed food like burgers<\/p>\n

Fast food and processed foods<\/p>\n

Processed foods are designed to stimulate very powerful feelings of reward and pleasure when eaten, and this makes our brain want them over more natural foods, says Jenkinson.<\/p>\n

But such foods are full of vegetable oils, he warns. \u201cAlthough we\u2019ve been reassured by nutritionists that these oils are healthy, they are in fact hazardous to the delicate balance of the important omega fats that bathe our cell walls.<\/p>\n

\u201cToo much omega-6, a nutrient found in massive excess in these oils, dilutes the health-giving effect of omega-3\u2019s. Omega-6 causes malfunctioning of our insulin signals, meaning we need more of it, and leading to the same effect as taking in too much sugar.\u201d<\/p>\n

He says too much omega-6 also triggers inflammation, which increases the risk of becoming unwell or developing an inflammatory disease. Foods containing these omega disruptors include fast foods, crisps, processed foods with a long shelf life, any food cooked in vegetable oil (sunflower, canola, rapeseed etc.), egg yolk, and farm-fed chicken and pork.<\/p>\n

Food containing artificial colourings and flavouring<\/p>\n

Most colourings, flavourings, emulsifiers and other artificial food additives \u201care not, and have never been, food\u201d stresses Jenkinson. \u201cThey are chemical elements that have been designed in laboratories for the benefit of food companies.\u201d<\/p>\n

He says some have been shown to cause inflammation, severe allergies and increased risk of cancer, and points out that most processed foods contain them. \u201cSo avoid these where possible. They act like a toxic drug.\u201d<\/p>\n

What to eat more of<\/p>\n

Fish<\/p>\n

Fish is full of omega-3 oils and therefore it\u2019s anti-inflammatory and helps weight loss, says Jenkinson. \u201cSushi is great \u2013 the Japanese, who eat a lot of it, are some of the healthiest people in the world<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Egg whites<\/p>\n

Egg whites are a great protein source, says Jenkinson, who advises people to eat them in order to reduce the level of omega-6 found in egg yolks.<\/p>\n

\"Berries<\/p>\n

Berries and fruit should be on your shopping list<\/p>\n

Healthy grains<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re trying to lose weight, be conscious of consuming too many carbs in the form of white rice, potatoes and bread, Jenkinson warns, and instead choose pulses and beans, quinoa or buckwheat, which don\u2019t spike your insulin levels.<\/p>\n

Leafy greens<\/p>\n

Eat fresh vegetables, particularly leafy green and brightly-coloured ones, as these infuse your body with phytochemicals, which are anti-inflammatory, as well as antioxidants, Jenkinson advises. \u201cIf you take in most of your carbs through vegetables, your weight-control hormone will keep on functioning normally, meaning no weight gain,\u201d he notes.<\/p>\n

\"Berries<\/p>\n

Berries are packed with healthy nutrients<\/p>\n

Berries<\/p>\n

Berries are full of phytochemicals and low in fructose sugar. High amounts can trigger our body\u2019s hibernation state, leading to weight gain, explains Jenkinson.<\/p>\n

Saturated fats<\/p>\n

According to Jenkinson, research now shows it\u2019s fine to eat fatty steaks, red meat (grass-fed for healthy omega-3), butter and yoghurt, but avoid palm oil<\/a>, which has links to heart disease.<\/p>\n

\u201cRed meat is not bad for you,\u201d he insists. \u201cIt is full of health-giving natural saturated fats. These fats do not spike insulin levels and do not cause obesity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Natural spices and salt<\/p>\n

Unless you suffer with high blood pressure<\/a> then salt can be used to season meat and fish before cooking, says Jenkinson. \u201cThis brings out fantastic flavours in home-prepared foods,\u201d he explains. Keep your pantry full of flavoursome and aromatic spices and herbs to make meals something to savour, he advises, adding: \u201cYour natural spice rack is a nutritional powerhouse containing minerals, vitamins and those important anti-inflammatory phytochemicals.\u201d<\/p>\n

How to Eat (And Still Lose Weight) by Dr Andrew Jenkinson is published by Penguin Life priced \u00a318.99<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Andrew Jenkinson says it isn’t how much you eat, but what you eat that makes the differenceNeil Shaw…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":465356,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[6612,1991,59,102,2750,56,54,55,6959],"class_list":["post-465355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-blood-pressure","tag-food","tag-gb","tag-health","tag-heart-disease","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom","tag-vitamins"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/465355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=465355"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/465355\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/465356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=465355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=465355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=465355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}