Sip olive oil before you eat to lose weight

Fats or carbs? Most of us seem to be in one camp or the other when it comes to choosing the best diet to lose weight.

But it could be more complex: the order in which you eat your fats and carbs could have more to do with effective weight loss than just sticking to one diet.

Researchers at Kyoto University in Japan have discovered that consuming fat before carbohydrates can reduce the sharp rise in blood sugar that typically follows a meal. In their tests, the researchers used olive oil as their fat, and eating in that order slowed digestion and activated a surprising combination of hormones and nerve signals that helped regulate blood sugar.

The idea has been tested on mice, and so we can’t be sure we’d see the same response in people, but the fact it worked even on mice with type 2 diabetes gives hope to those struggling to lose weight.

After an overnight fast, the mice were assigned to three groups: One group received water followed by glucose; a second group was given olive oil, followed 15 minutes later by glucose, and the third group received glucose first, with olive oil administered 15 minutes afterward.

The scientists then measured blood glucose levels and several hormones involved in blood sugar regulation, including insulin, glucagon, GIP, and GLP-1. Glucagon is normally associated with increasing blood sugar, while GIP and GLP-1 help regulate glucose levels after eating.

When olive oil was given before glucose, the initial rise in blood sugar was smaller than when the oil was administered afterward. The earlier fat intake also slowed gastric emptying, delaying the movement of glucose from the stomach into the intestine.

At the same time, consuming fat before glucose stimulated an early increase in several hormones, including glucagon, GIP, and GLP-1.

One of the most unexpected findings involved glucagon, a hormone generally known for raising blood sugar by stimulating the liver to release stored glucose.  The researchers discovered that blocking glucagon signaling alone did not eliminate the blood sugar lowering effect of consuming olive oil before glucose, and nor did blocking GLP-1 signaling by itself.

However, when both signaling pathways were blocked simultaneously, the beneficial effect was reduced.  This finding suggests that glucagon and GLP-1 work together as part of a more complex system that helps moderate blood sugar after fat is consumed before carbohydrates. It also reveals that glucagon, despite its familiar role in increasing blood sugar, can contribute to a response that ultimately limits the rise in glucose after eating.

So, what’s the takeaway?  Sip a spoonful or two of olive oil before you eat.

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