Want to keep the weight off? Try this: Eat a dessert with breakfast. Research published in the journal Steroids says that eating a dessert with a protein-rich breakfast causes people to feel less hungry throughout the day–making it easier to ward off weight gain.
The study was led by Daniela Jakubowicz, M.D., a senior physician at Tel Aviv University’s Wolfson Medical Center in Holon, Israel. “Although dietary restriction often results in initial weight loss, the majority of obese dieters fail to maintain their reduced weight,” says Jakubowicz.
“A high carbohydrate and protein breakfast may prevent weight regain by reducing diet-induced compensatory changes in hunger, cravings and ghrelin suppression. To achieve long-term weight loss, meal timing and macronutrient composition must counteract these compensatory mechanisms which encourage weight regain after weight loss.”
The Study
Recruiting 193 healthy adult men and women who lived a sedentary lifestyle, Jakubowicz split them into two groups and fed them one of two diet plans: A low carbohydrate breakfast containing 304 calories or a high carbohydrate and protein breakfast containing a small dessert and 600 calories. The dessert included in the study consisted of a cookie, doughnut, or a cake slice–a small dessert option. As the study progressed, both groups lost weight, which did not surprise Jakubowicz.
However, as the diet progressed, those who ate a low carbohydrate breakfast regained an average of 22 pounds. Those who had dessert with their breakfast continued to lose weight, however–up to an average of 15 pounds. “In this study we observed that two isocaloric diets which differed in meal timing and composition resulted in similar weight reduction at the end of the Diet Intervention Period,” says Jakubowicz. “Subjects in the HCPb [high carbohydrate and protein breakfast] group were more successful in maintaining reduced weight; moreover, they continued losing weight during the Follow-up Period.”
As for the reasons why, Jakubowicz believes a combination of protein and carbs improves satiety, whereas desserts help suppress cravings for sweet treats later on in the day.
Normally, abstaining from sweet foods can lead to increased cravings, causing people to indulge in more fattening or sugary treats as they continue to diet. But by fulfilling the desire to eat sweets, you stop these cravings before it really begins, says Jakubowicz. “Cravings, especially for sweets and carbohydrates/starches, have been shown to be associated with ghrelin levels,” says Jakubowicz. “The strong association between nadir ghrelin levels and all craving scores categories observed in our study may represent an alternative mechanism through which in the HCPb [high carbohydrate and protein breakfast] group the craving scores were significantly reduced.”
What You Should Do
Having trouble maintaining your weight loss? Adding a small dessert to your breakfast could help you continue to stay thin, according to researchers. To lose even more weight, make sure your breakfast is also rich in protein and good carbohydrates.
Readers: What do you usually eat for breakfast to lose weight?
Sources: Study: Eating Dessert With Breakfast Helps People Avoid Weight Regain – ScienceDirect.com Eating Dessert With Breakfast Helps People Lose More Weight – ScienceDaily.com
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