overcome these compensatory changes and prevent obesity relapse,” they concluded.
But at least two U.S. nutrition experts question the wisdom of encouraging regular consumption of sweet, calorie-dense, low-nutrition foods.
“A combination of protein and carbohydrates may have kept these study volunteers satisfied, but you have to pay attention to the quality of foods you’re eating, too,” said clinical nutritionist Lauren Graf at Montefiore Medical Center, in New York City. “You don’t want to encourage people to eat a lot of foods with trans fats, like doughnuts, cookies and cakes.” Trans fats, which are partially hydrogenated oils found in baked goods and other products, can raise blood cholesterol levels.
The researchers speculated that dieters who had sweets with breakfast had lower levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, so they weren’t as hungry and were less likely to crave the foods they’d eaten earlier in the day.
It’s not just about what you eat or depriving yourself of a food, but how much of it you eat plays a big factor as well.
Heller suspects that eating a healthy form of protein at each meal and snack likely helped these dieters feel full and keep their blood sugar levels on an even keel.
Graf said the study shows that a strict low-carbohydrate diet isn’t necessarily the best long-term approach to weight loss. “If you love sweets, maybe having them once or twice a week is okay, though I don’t recommend processed foods. It’s all about having clean, possibly homemade sweets, that are not processed” she added.
Data and conclusions presented at meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.