Blood sugar levels are not a major concern for everyone, but they should be of moderate concern to the general population considering the rising trend of diabetes. This why a new study from the University of Guelph regarding the combined affect of saturated fat and caffeine on blood sugar levels is worthy of note.
The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, discovered that eating a fast food meal high in saturated fat with a coffee is even worse for you than without one. Researchers noted that not only does a healthy person’s blood sugar level spike after eating a high-fat meal, but that the spike doubles after having both a fatty meal and caffeinated coffee – jumping to levels similar to those of people at risk for diabetes.
“The results tell us that saturated fat interferes with the body’s ability to clear sugars from the blood, and when combined with caffeinated coffee, the impact can be even worse,” said lead resarcher and PhD candidate Marie-Soleil Beaudoin in a statement. “Having sugar remain in our blood for long periods is unhealthy because it can take a toll on our body’s organs.”
Participants in the study were healthy young men between the ages of 20-30. In the second part of the study, the men drank about one gram of a specially designed saturated fat drink for every kilogram of body weight. They then drank either two cups of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee five hours later, followed by a sugar drink an hour later. The results showed blood sugar levels rose to 65% above what they were with the caffeinated coffee and fat drink. With just the fat drink, participants blood sugar levels only rose 32%.
“Ultimately we have found that fat and caffeinated coffee are impairing the communication between the gut and the pancreas, which could be playing a role in why participants couldn’t clear the sugar from their blood as easily,” said Beaudoin.
Referring to the impact coffee had five hours after the fat drink, she adds, “This shows that the effects of a high-fat meal can last for hours. What you eat for lunch can impact how your body responds to food later in the day”.
Article found: http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/04/01/fast-food-is-twice-as-bad-for-you-with-a-coffee-study/
