Unpacking Ultra-Processed Foods & Why Calories Don't Tell the Whole Story | HOMe Podcast #032

In this episode of the Health Optimization Medicine Podcast, Boomer Anderson sits down with Dr. Ted Achacoso, Dr. Jup Kuipers, Dr. Scott Sherr, and Dr. Allen Bookatz to unpack what's really behind calories and macronutrients, and why you should think twice before grabbing ultra-processed foods on your next grocery haul. Research discussed in this episode compares meals and diets with similar nutritional profiles but different levels of processing. The team explores differences in glucose and insulin responses, appetite, food texture, eating rate, and energy intake. They also examine what these findings can and cannot tell us, why a nutrition label is only part of the picture, and how the HOMeHOPe framework looks at food through cellular health, clinical metabolomics, and individualized outcomes. Join us as we delve into: Calories vs. Metabolic Responses: Why meals with similar calories and macronutrients can lead to different short-term physiological responses. What Counts as Ultra-Processed? How the NOVA classification differs from simply canning, freezing, or pickling food. What the Trials Found: What controlled meal studies and longer dietary trials suggest about insulin, energy intake, body weight, and appetite. The Gut-Brain Connection: How food processing may interact with food reward, hunger, fullness, and the signals connecting gut and brain. Why Food Texture Matters: What research on eating rate suggests about texture and how much people consume. Beyond One Biomarker: Why glucose alone may miss part of the response, and how clinical metabolomics can add context to a person's metabolic patterns. The HOMeHOPe Framework: How bioenergetics, the gut-immune system, exposomics, and evolutionary medicine inform the team's approach to food and cellular health. A Practical Grocery-Aisle Swap: How to choose a less-processed option you enjoy and can afford, then observe how you feel over time. This episode is for you if: You want to understand ultra-processed foods and metabolic health. You are curious about the relationship between calories, insulin, appetite, and food texture. You want practical nutrition ideas that account for convenience and budget. You are a clinician interested in clinical metabolomics and individualized health assessment. You can also find this episode on… YouTube: https://youtu.be/f0ZnDuiL2SY Find more from Health Optimization Medicine and Practice (HOMeHOPe): Website: https://homehope.org/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homehopeorg/ Use PODCAST10 to get 10% OFF your purchase of the Clinical Metabolomics Module at https://homehope.org/products/clinical-metabolomics Find more from Troscriptions: Website: https://troscriptions.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troscriptions/ Use POD10 to get 10% OFF your Troscriptions purchase at https://troscriptions.com/collections/our-products