Could a fry-up be good for you? Scientists discover that eating a big breakfast prevents diabetes and high blood pressure
- - People who eat a big breakfast have lower levels of insulin and glucose
- - This reduces risk of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol
- - They are also less likely to snack during the day - this reduces obesity risk
By EMMA INNES
|
A full English breakfast could actually be good for you, new research suggests.
Scientists say eating a big breakfast fights obesity and diseases including diabetes, high blood pressure and heart problems.
Researchers claim it's not only the food that we eat, but when we eat it that can have a big impact on our health.
Eating a big breakfast fights obesity and diseases including diabetes, high blood pressure and heart problems
In tests, people who had a big breakfast lost an average of nearly 18 pounds, more than twice as much as those who had a bigger meal in the evening.
The body's metabolism is governed by the circadian rhythm - the biological process that the body follows over a 24 hour cycle.
So the time of day we eat can have a big impact on the way our bodies process food, says Professor Daniela Jakubowicz, of Tel Aviv University in Israel.
In a new study, she discovered that those who eat their largest daily meal at breakfast are far more likely to lose weight and waist circumference than those who eat a large dinner.
Participants who ate a larger breakfast - even including a piece of chocolate cake or biscuit - also had significantly lower levels of insulin, glucose, and triglycerides throughout the day, translating into a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol.
These results, published in the journal Obesity, indicate that proper meal timing can make an important contribution towards managing obesity and promoting an overall healthy lifestyle.
People who eat a larger breakfast have significantly lower levels of insulin and glucose meaning they have a lower risk of developing diabetes
To find out the impact of meal timing on weight loss and health, Professor Jakubowicz and her fellow researchers conducted a study in which 93 obese women were randomly assigned to one of two groups.
Each consumed a moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-fat diet totalling 1,400 calories daily over three months.
The first group consumed 700 calories at breakfast, 500 at lunch, and 200 at dinner.
The second group ate a 200 calorie breakfast, 500 calorie lunch, and 700 calorie dinner. The 700 calorie breakfast and dinner included the same foods.
Those who eat their largest daily meal at breakfast are far more likely to lose weight and waist circumference than those who eat a large dinner
By the end of the study, participants in the ‘big breakfast’ group had lost an average of 17.8 pounds each, and three inches off their waist, compared to a 7.3 pounds and 1.4 inches for participants in the ‘big dinner’ group.
According to Professor Jakubowicz, those in the ‘big breakfast’ group were found to have significantly lower levels of a hunger-regulating hormone, an indication that they were more satiated and had less desire for snacking later in the day, than their counterparts in the ‘big dinner’ group.
The ‘big breakfast’ group also showed a more significant decrease in insulin, glucose, and triglyceride levels than those in the ‘big dinner’ group.
More importantly, they did not experience the high spikes in blood glucose levels that typically occur after a meal.
Peaks in blood sugar levels are considered even more harmful than sustained high blood glucose levels, leading to high blood pressure and greater strain on the heart.
The findings suggest that people should adopt a well thought-out meal schedule, in addition to proper nutrition and exercise, to optimise weight loss and general health.
Professor Jakubowicz said: ‘Eating the right foods at the wrong times can not only slow down weight loss, it can also be harmful. Our study found those in the big dinner group actually increased fat levels in their body, despite their weight loss.’
She suggests that people could improve their health significantly by cutting out late night snacking.
She said: ‘Mindless eating in front of the computer or television, especially in the late evening hours, is a huge contributor to the obesity epidemic.
‘It increases not only poundage, but the risk of cardiovascular disease - making that midnight sugar rush more costly than it appears.’
No comments:
Post a Comment