Does Drinking Alcohol Trigger Overeating?

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Does Drinking Alcohol Trigger Overeating?

You’ve even been eating healthier, watching portion sizes and haven’t skipped a workout in weeks. So what could be the culprit behind those few extra pounds you’ve put on? Here’s the hard truth: Drinks after work may be to blame, but not in the way you think.

According to arecent study, alcohol exposure sensitizes the brain’s response to food aromas and increases caloric intake. That means that those pre-dinner rooftop drinks could be affecting the cravings in your belly, convincing you to place a heartier dinner order than you normally would. “The ‘aperitif effect,” or consumption of more food after drinking, has been known for some time now, but there has never been a consensus on what causes you to eat more—what alcohol is doing to lead to this,” says William J. A. Eiler II, PhD, lead author of the study. “Our findings lead us to believe that alcohol may make the aromas from food more appealing. As a result of the food smelling better, we may be compelled to eat more of it.”

该研究涉及35名健康女性,她们在一次访问中通过静脉注入饮酒,在另一次访问中接受安慰剂。想知道为什么他们不只是排成一杯葡萄酒?该测试的目的是仅查看大脑在饮酒中的作用,减去胃中的任何干扰。然后根据两种午餐测量参与者对食物和非食品香气的大脑反应:意大利肉酱和面条牛肉的意大利面。该研究的发现表明,参与者在接受静脉酒精时进食更多。

So how much alcohol until you notice the effect? “That is a good question and one that will have to be answered by further research,” says Eiler. “In our study, we maintained all our subjects at a breath alcohol concentration of 0.05 percent, which is equivalent to a couple of glasses of wine. I would hazard to say that there is likely a ‘sweet spot’ where drinking before a meal increases your consumption, with too little having no effect and too much leading to a decrease in eating.”

For those of you who are keeping an eye on your weight, be aware of the amount of and what types of pre-meal beverages you’re consuming. For example, your favorite craft beer might be pretty calorically dense, explains Eiler. “This can be compounded by the aperitif effect as you are not only increasing your caloric intake by drinking, you are likely to indulge a little more while eating your meal,” he says. A solid rule of thumb: When you know you’ll be drinking, “plan ahead by preparing smaller portions or making healthier choices.”

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