Who can resist tucking into a basket of warm, yeasty bread (preferably with lots of butter) while waiting for their entree? (Raise your hand). But there’s a downside, as NPR reports. “… eating all those carbs before a meal can amp up our appetites and spike our blood sugar.”
Allison Aubrey (@AubreyNPRFood) covers food, nutrition and healthy living for NPR. She explains the science behind nutrition. And today she has written an interesting piece for NPR’s The Salt. Other work by Aubrey that the UC Food Observer has featured includes: “Dynamic Duos” … How to get more nutrition by pairing foods” and “Landfill of lettuce.”
“The worst situation is having refined carbohydrates on an empty stomach, because there’s nothing to slow down the digestion of that carbohydrate into sugar,” explains David Ludwig, director of the Optimal Weight for Life Clinic at Boston Children’s Hospital.
A new study supports the idea of postponing bread until, well, it’s time for dessert (in other words, near the end of your meal). The new study – published in Diabetes Care – suggest that “making this simple swap can blunt that rise in blood sugar — and it may tamp down your appetite, too.” Caveats? Although the findings were striking, the sample size was very small. While the research was oriented to those with diabetes, it could have implications for dieters.
More research is planned. Stay tuned.
Related Links:
Research: Low glycemic index diet reduces symptoms of autism in mice
New wave of wheat has positive health implications
Blueberries – already a “superfood” – may help with PTSD