You may need to go easy on those breads, pastas, cereals, cakes, and other carbs because a new study suggests that excessive consumption of those may trigger food addiction.
David Ludwig, lead author of the study and director of the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center, and his team began the study to find ways to help obese patients avoid overeating. They measured the blood glucose levels and hunger of 12 overweight to obese men as well as their brain activity levels four hours after meal using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
The participants were given two different milkshakes: one has fast digesting (high-glycemic index) carbohydrates and the other slow digesting (low-glycemic index) carbohydrates. Both have the same amount of calories, level of sweetness, and taste. The patients wouldn’t even know that they are different.
The glycemic index is a measurement of how fast the blood sugars respond after consuming a specific food or drink. Fast digesting carbohydrates can lead to high blood sugar levels such as potatoes, rice, watermelon, bread, cereals, and sports drink. Slow digesting carbohydrates contain fiber and starch such as whole wheat pasta, sweet potatoes, brown rice, green leafy vegetables, and nuts.
The researchers noticed that that the patients experienced a sudden increase on their blood sugar levels after drinking the high-glycemic milkshake which crashed four hours later. It also triggered excessive hunger and intense reaction on the brain particularly the nucleus accumbens which is responsible for addictive behaviors.
The study concluded that those who would like to lose weight should trim down their consumption of high-glycemic carbohydrates since the brain would work against their goal. "These findings suggest that limiting high-glycemic index carbohydrates like white bread and potatoes could help obese individuals reduce cravings and control the urge to overeat," wrote Ludwig in the study.
The study was published on the June 26 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
