This is the best time of day to eat carbs
Eating carbs for every meal will cause weight gain — but there's a secret to enjoying that pizza
Eating carbs for every meal will cause weight gain — but there's a secret to enjoying that pizza
Eating carbs for every meal will cause weight gain — but there's a secret to enjoying that pizza
We know enough by now to understand that carbs are not the enemy. But while a little of anything is OK, there's no doubt carbs can leave you feeling bloated and uncomfortable.
In fact white, or simple, carbs — white bread, pasta, or rice for example — are more likely to cause an increase in weight because the body breaks it down into glucose quickly, which causes a spike in blood sugar and often leaves you feeling hungry so you're more likely to eat more in the long run.
So is there ever a good time to treat yourself to pizza? It's often been thought carbs are best consumed first thing in the morning because you have a whole day of activity ahead to burn them off.
However, a study from the BBC and Trust Me I'm a Doctor found there may be an evening sweet spot.
The study asked volunteers to eat a fixed amount of carbs each day, either in the morning or evening. Blood glucose levels were monitored throughout, and the results overwhelmingly showed glucose was lower in the evening: 10.4 units, compared to 15.9 in the morning.
However, the study also shows that going a long period of time (i.e. overnight or all day) without carbs means your body will be more ready to respond to a big bowl of pasta.
Dr. Adam Collins, from the University of Surrey, is launching a much larger study following the results to give more definite answers. His advice? Don't worry too much about the time of day you eat carbs — as long as you don't overload.
In other words; pizza for breakfast is totally OK. Sometimes.