New findings from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Research Service suggest that the all-time fave traditional Fast Food meal may make you fat in more ways than just the overall Calories it represents. In fact, it might be telling your body to make more fat, rather than encouraging you to burn it…
The brand doesn’t matter. Neither does the flavour. A Sugary Drink with that jumbo Burger
may be about the worst choice you could make if you’re worried about your weight!
That Burger, Fries and Sugary Drink you crave may be even worse for you, dietarily, than you thought.
Researchers at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center say they looked at the reactions of 27 subjects, average age 23, to high-protein meals served with and without a Sugary Beverage. The results are both surprising and potentially worrying.
Dr Shanon Casperson, lead author of the study, told reporters, “We found that about a third of the additional calories provided by the sugar-sweetened drinks were not expended, fat metabolism was reduced, and it took less energy to metabolize the meals. This decreased metabolic efficiency may ‘prime’ the body to store more fat.”
Holy cow!
How could things get worse? Seems that subjects craved, “savory and salty foods for four hours after eating [the meals with the Sugary Drinks].” And who doesn’t tend to give in to their cravings?
Casperson explained: “Our findings suggest that having a sugar-sweetened drink with a meal impacts both sides of the energy balance equation. On the intake side, the additional energy from the drink did not make people feel more sated. On the expenditure side, the additional calories were not expended and fat oxidation was reduced. The results provide further insight into the potential role of sugar-sweetened drinks — the largest single source of sugar in the American diet – in weight gain and obesity.”
But what about other Sugary foods?
So… Does that mean that a Sugary dessert with a high-protein meal would have the same effect? What other sources of Sugar could contribute to the double-whammy fattening effects of such a meal? Syrups? Dipping Sauces? Who knows? We hope the USDA team does more and deeper research on this rather disturbing phenomenon…
In the meantime, Sugary Drink lovers are on notice!
~ Maggie J.