Fixing Our Broken Food System: Why We Need a Science-Based Framework for Metabolic Health
“No system can be fixed by people who do not know why it is broken.”
Our global food system is broken. Chronic diseases are skyrocketing, obesity and diabetes are at record highs, and food has shifted from being a source of nourishment to a driver of metabolic dysfunction. As Dr. Robert H. Lustig highlights in Metabolical, the modern food industry prioritizes profit over health, manipulating ingredients and processing methods in ways that harm metabolic function. But how did we get here, and more importantly, how do we fix it?
The answer lies in a science-based framework that is evidence-driven, transparent, scalable, replicable, and adaptable—one that recognizes all foods have a metabolic impact and must be evaluated on their ability to support human health. The Metabolic Matrix, an evidence-based system developed by a Scientific Advisory Team (SAT) for the Kuwait Danish Dairy Company (KDD), provides such a framework.
Its core principle? Metabolic health is the north star of nutrition.
What’s Wrong With the Current Food System?
- Ultra-Processed Foods and Metabolic Disease
The modern diet is filled with highly processed foods designed for maximum shelf life, addictiveness, and low production costs. These foods are engineered with excessive refined carbohydrates, industrial seed oils, artificial additives, and emulsifiers that wreak havoc on the gut microbiome, disrupt the liver, and impair cognitive function. - The Sugar Trap
As Lustig explains, the food industry hides sugar under dozens of names—fructose, corn syrup, juice concentrates—to avoid regulatory scrutiny. The Metabolic Matrix emphasizes that added sugars should be treated based on their metabolic impact, not technical definitions. Fructose in fruit juice concentrate behaves no differently than high-fructose corn syrup in the body, overwhelming the liver and leading to insulin resistance. - The Misguided Focus on Calories
For decades, the food industry has pushed the narrative that all calories are equal—but science tells us otherwise. A calorie of sugar does not have the same effect as a calorie of fiber-rich whole foods. The Metabolic Matrix rejects outdated calorie-counting models in favor of metabolic impact assessments, considering factors like the fiber-to-carbohydrate ratio and food processing. - Nutrient Washing & Harmful Additives
Many food manufacturers fortify processed foods with vitamins and minerals to create the illusion of health while still including harmful ingredients. Harm reduction should come first, followed by fortification. The Metabolic Matrix prioritizes eliminating trans fats, reducing omega-6 seed oils, and setting strict criteria for synthetic emulsifiers, preservatives, and additives linked to metabolic harm. - Lack of Transparency & Accountability
Consumers are often left in the dark about what’s in their food. Terms like “natural” and “wholesome” are largely meaningless without clear, science-backed criteria. The Metabolic Matrix establishes measurable, per-serving benchmarks for food safety and metabolic impact, ensuring food companies are held accountable.
The Metabolic Matrix: A Framework for Fixing Food
The Metabolic Matrix is built on a tiered system that progressively improves food quality based on harm reduction, fortification, and value-adds. Here’s how it works:
- Harm Reduction – Eliminate harmful substances (trans fats, excessive sugar, toxic additives, heavy metals, antibiotics, etc.) and ensure safer ingredient sourcing.
- Fortification – Introduce essential vitamins, minerals, and beneficial compounds like omega-3s and fiber.
- Value Adds – Focus on sustainability, transparency, independent testing, and humanely raised ingredients.
Real Food Defined: Supporting the Brain, Protecting the Liver, and Feeding the Gut
The Metabolic Matrix operates on the fundamental principle that real food is defined not by its processing, but by its metabolic impact. This means food should:
- Support the Brain– Provide essential fatty acids, B vitamins, and nutrients that promote cognitive health.
- Protect the Liver– Avoid excess fructose, seed oils, and additives that contribute to fatty liver disease and insulin resistance.
- Feed the Gut– Prioritize fiber, polyphenols, and beneficial microbes to maintain a healthy microbiome.
The Future of Food: A Call for Change
To reverse the metabolic disease crisis, we need a global shift in how food is formulated, marketed, and regulated. The Metabolic Matrix is a scalable and adaptable framework that can be used by companies, institutions, and governments to create foods that nourish rather than harm.
Robert Lustig’s Metabolical provides a critical wake-up call: our food system is killing us, and it’s time to take back control. The Metabolic Matrix offers a practical, science-backed blueprint for re-engineering our food supply—one that prioritizes health, transparency, and sustainability.
The food revolution starts now. Are we ready to fix what’s broken?