Episode 287: Dr. Jason Fung | Is Fasting Safe for the Food Addict?

Episode 287: Dr. Jason Fung | Is Fasting Safe for the Food Addict?

June 25, 2026 · 58 min

About this episode

Dr. Jason Fung discusses the safety of fasting for food addicts and explores the complexities of hunger and eating behavior.

In this episode, Dr. Vera Tarman sits down with world-renowned nephrologist, researcher, and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Jason Fung to explore one of the most pressing questions in the food addiction community: Is fasting safe for the food addict? Dr. Fung's latest book, The Hunger Code: Resetting Your Body's Fat Thermostat in the Age of Ultra-Processed Food , challenges the calorie-centric model of obesity and offers a deeper, more honest look at why we eat the way we do — and what it actually takes to change. In this episode, you'll hear: Why the calories in/calories out model fails — and what the hormonal model of obesity actually means The three types of hunger driving overeating: homeostatic, hedonic, and conditioned hunger — and why the social and emotional components may account for 90% of our eating behavior How ultra-processed foods are engineered to hijack the brain's reward system — and why that matters for food addicts The difference between fasting and starvation — and why the mindset behind fasting changes everything The dangers of using fasting as a punishment after a binge — and how to use it safely and intentionally instead Why a low-carb, higher-fat…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Vera Tarman

Guest: Dr. Jason Fung

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Ozempic

Books & works: The Hunger Code: Resetting Your Body's Fat Thermostat in the Age of Ultra-Processed Food

More episodes of Food Junkies Podcast

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Food Junkies Podcast podcast page.