Eating sugar-rich foods at the start of a meal has been found to keep appetites in check
Those looking to lead a healthy lifestyle have long been advised to steer clear of sugar laden sweet treats - unfortunately.
However, our luck might be about to change as a recent study carried out by Imperial College london has suggested that indulging in sugar-rich foods at the beginning of a meal may in fact help to keep people’s appetites in check.
The research showed that a brain protein called glucokinase keeps track of how much glucose is eaten - if the intake is too low, the brain tells the body to seek out more starchy and sugary food. It was also discovered that those with a sweet tooth may naturally produce more glucokinase than others – helping explain why some of us simply can’t resist that daily dose of choccy.
Reviewing the evidence, Researcher Dr James Gardiner has advised that aspiring slimmers tuck into glucose-rich foods at the start of their meal as following this the brain will quickly determine that enough glucose has been eaten, allowing other inbuilt systems that count calories to kick in - which in turn should prevent overeating.
This research has in turn led to the discussion of new obesity drugs, which would work by lowering levels of glucokinase.
Although, don’t get too excited - this doesn’t exactly mean we can start tucking into the KitKat chunkies as a starter. Ideally, dieters would opt for starchy foods such as chips, bread, pasta, rice, which are even richer in glucose and thus a healthier option.