Japanese scientists at Kyoto University have discovered that consuming olive oil before carbohydrates reduces the early rise in blood glucose levels and slows down the stomach emptying process.
The scientific journal Diabetes points out that it was discovered long ago that eating vegetables, protein, or fats before carbohydrates reduces post-meal blood sugar spikes, and this makes ordering food a simple and sustainable dietary strategy.
However, the role of gut and pancreatic hormones, as well as neural pathways, in this process has not yet been fully studied.
In this study, the researchers used laboratory mice that had been fasting overnight, dividing them into three groups. The first group consumed water, then glucose; the second group consumed olive oil, then glucose after 15 minutes; and the third group consumed glucose, then olive oil after 15 minutes.
After feeding the mice, the scientists measured blood levels of glucose, insulin, glucagon (a polypeptide hormone (protein)), GIP, and GLP-1. To assess the rate of gastric emptying, the mice were given acetaminophen, a common form of paracetamol. The faster acetaminophen appeared in the bloodstream, the faster the stomach emptied.
The researchers repeated the experiment on mice with type 2 diabetes and on mice lacking GLP-1 receptors. They also blocked glucagon or GLP-1 signaling pathways, performed bilateral subphrenic vagus nerve ligation, and tested other types of dietary fats.
Researchers found that consuming olive oil before—but not after—glucose reduced the early rise in glucose levels and slowed gastric emptying. Consuming fats before glucose also increased the early release of glucagon, GIP, and GLP-1. All of these effects were observed in mice with type 2 diabetes and severe insulin deficiency.
According to the researchers, blocking either glucagon or GLP-1 alone did not diminish the glucose-lowering effect of olive oil; only combined blockade did. It was also shown that glucagon signaling, primarily known for its ability to raise glucose levels, contributes to lowering blood sugar during fat intake. Experiments involving vagus nerve stimulation demonstrated the involvement of vagus nerve pathways—nerve fibers that connect the brain to the digestive system.
Researcher Daisuke Yabe from the university points out that this study provides a physiological explanation for how the order in which food is consumed affects post-meal glucose levels. This strengthens the rationale for testing practical strategies for meal sequencing in both people with and without diabetes.
He says: "Our results suggest that the order in which nutrients reach the intestines can trigger a coordinated hormonal and neural response that alters the speed at which glucose is transported from the stomach to the intestines."
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