What happens when a super-health-conscious doctor decides to eat junk food every day for a month?
Dr. Matty Kenny, a physician-turned-YouTuber, put his body to the test in a unique experiment to see firsthand how ultra-processed meals affect the mind and body.
For 30 days, he consumed at least one fast food meal daily alongside a home-cooked meal, tracking his health changes with a wearable blood sugar monitor.
The results? Alarming spikes and crashes, mental fog, and even some unpleasant trips to the bathroom.
Fast Food vs. Home-Cooked Meals: The Big Difference
Dr. Kenny’s experiment wasn’t just about indulging in burgers and pizza—it was about measuring how these meals impacted his energy levels and mental performance.
His wearable glucose monitor revealed that junk food from places like McDonald’s, Papa John’s, and Taco Bell sent his blood sugar soaring before crashing dramatically.
This rollercoaster effect is linked to hunger pangs, overeating, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
Meanwhile, his home-cooked meals—such as salmon with broccoli and brown rice—provided a steady, more balanced energy release.
Unlike fast food, these meals didn’t lead to the dreaded “food coma” that left him struggling to focus.
The Mental Fog Was Real
One of the biggest surprises for Dr. Kenny was how fast food impacted his brain.
After just one day, he noticed a drastic change in how he felt post-meal.
“The fast food coma was way more sedating,” he explained. “I was out like a light.”
Simple tasks like reading became a challenge.
One night after eating Taco Bell, he found himself stuck rereading the same sentence repeatedly, struggling to focus due to brain fog and fatigue.
This sluggishness, he discovered, was due to reactive hypoglycemia—a condition where a sudden glucose spike is followed by a sharp drop, leaving the body drained and unfocused.
The Role of Sugary Sodas
Adding sugary sodas to the mix only made things worse.
Dr. Kenny observed that pairing fast food with a soft drink caused an even greater blood sugar spike, making the crashes more intense.
Since liquid sugar is absorbed faster than solid food, sodas amplified the negative effects of junk food.
Embarrassing Side Effects: The Stomach Struggles
Aside from mental fatigue, Dr. Kenny experienced some serious digestive discomfort.
After eating McDonald’s, he had one of the worst stomach aches of his life. And Taco Bell?
That led to what he described as “explosive” diarrhea.
These unpleasant symptoms highlighted how processed food can wreak havoc on the digestive system, potentially due to high-fat content, preservatives, and artificial additives.
Will He Give Up Fast Food Forever?
Despite the shocking results, Dr. Kenny isn’t swearing off fast food entirely.
He acknowledges that while it’s best to limit processed meals, completely avoiding them isn’t always realistic.
However, he plans to be more mindful of what he eats and how it affects his body.
“I’m not going to make any dumb promises and say I’ll never eat fast food again,” he admitted.
“But it’s definitely something to keep in mind.”
His experiment serves as a cautionary tale about the effects of ultra-processed foods—not just on weight and health but also on cognitive function and digestion.
The takeaway? Next time you’re tempted by a fast food meal, consider how it might make you feel afterward.
This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!
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