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A simple change to the order in which you eat could help blunt blood sugar spikes, new research suggests, but experts say it’s not necessarily a “quick fix.”
In a study published in the journal Diabetes in October, mice that received olive oil 15 minutes before glucose — a simple sugar the body uses for energy — had a smaller early rise in blood sugar than mice given glucose first or glucose alone. The researchers also saw the effect in mice with type 2 diabetes and severe insulin deficiency.
The researchers also tested other dietary fats, suggesting the response may not be unique to olive oil. The experiment offers clues about why food order may matter.
“Our findings suggest that the order in which nutrients reach the gut can engage a coordinated hormone-nerve response that changes how quickly the stomach delivers glucose to the intestine,” corresponding author Dr. Daisuke Yabe of Kyoto University said in a statement.
When the mice received fat before sugar, their stomachs released food into the intestine more slowly and their blood sugar rose less sharply at first.
The researchers also found that giving the mice fat first triggered early increases in two hormones, glucagon and GLP-1. Although glucagon is usually known for raising blood sugar, the researchers found that the two hormones appear to work together to help limit the rise in glucose.
Yabe said the group’s research is inspired by practical approaches people can sustain. “Meal-sequencing is appealing because it merely changes how a meal is eaten rather than requiring people to avoid entire food groups,” he said.
The researchers, however, said further studies are needed to test meal sequencing in people.
The study adds to research on how food order may offer a practical way to moderate blood sugar, Huma Chaudhry, a Chicago-based registered dietitian and founder of Dose of Nutrition, told Fox News Digital.
Chaudhry also cautioned, however, that since the study was conducted on mice, “We can’t assume the same results would occur in humans.”
Previous human research suggests eating vegetables or protein before carbohydrates may also help moderate post-meal blood sugar, while more research is needed on olive oil specifically, she said.
“The takeaway isn’t that everyone should start drinking olive oil before a meal,” she said, adding that there is “no need to treat it like a supplement or quick fix.”
“The bigger message is about building balanced meals that naturally contain healthy fats, protein, fiber and carbohydrates,” Chaudhry added.
The mice were fasted overnight and received olive oil and glucose separately, 15 minutes apart, which is different from people eating a typical balanced meal.
Chaudhry suggested starting with a leafy green salad dressed with olive oil before pasta, or pairing eggs with toast at breakfast. Food sequencing doesn’t require separating foods by a set interval, Chaudhry said.
At dinner, for instance, someone might eat a salad dressed in olive oil first and then have chicken and pasta, which can raise blood sugar, together.
“Food order may influence blood sugar alongside the overall quality and balance of our meals,” she said.
