Study suggests meal order may affect blood sugar spikes

Changing the way you sequence foods at a meal may help manage blood sugar, though experts say it is not a simple cure-all

A modest shift in the order of what you eat could help reduce blood sugar spikes, according to new research, but specialists say it should not be viewed as a fast fix.

In a study published in the journal Diabetes, mice that were given olive oil before glucose — a simple sugar the body uses for energy — showed a smaller early increase in blood sugar than mice that received glucose first or glucose by itself. The researchers observed the same pattern in mice with type 2 diabetes and severe insulin deficiency.

The team also tested other dietary fats, indicating the effect may not be limited to olive oil. The findings offer a possible explanation for why the sequence of foods eaten may matter.

“Our findings suggest that the order in which nutrients reach the gut can engage a coordinated hormone-nerve response that changes how quickly the stomach delivers glucose to the intestine,” corresponding author Dr. Daisuke Yabe of Kyoto University said in a statement.

When fat was given before sugar, the mice’s stomachs released food into the intestine more slowly and their blood sugar climbed less sharply at first.

The researchers also found that giving fat first caused early increases in two hormones, glucagon and GLP-1. Although glucagon is generally known for raising blood sugar, the study suggested the two hormones may work together to help limit the glucose rise.

Yabe said the group’s work is inspired by approaches people can realistically maintain. “Meal-sequencing is appealing because it merely changes how a meal is eaten rather than requiring people to avoid entire food groups,” he said.

The researchers added that more studies are needed to test meal sequencing in people.

The study adds to research on how food order may offer a practical way to moderate blood sugar, Huma Chaudhry, a Chicago-based registered dietitian and founder of Dose of Nutrition, told Fox News Digital.

Chaudhry also cautioned that because the experiment was done in mice, “We can't assume the same results would occur in humans.”

Earlier human research suggests that eating vegetables or protein before carbohydrates may also help temper blood sugar after meals, while more research is still needed on olive oil specifically, she said.

“The takeaway isn't that everyone should start drinking olive oil before a meal,” she said, adding that there is “no need to treat it like a supplement or quick fix.”

“The bigger message is about building balanced meals that naturally contain healthy fats, protein, fiber and carbohydrates,” Chaudhry added.

The mice were fasted overnight and given olive oil and glucose separately, 15 minutes apart, which is not the same as how people usually eat a mixed meal.

Chaudhry suggested beginning a meal with a leafy green salad dressed with olive oil before pasta, or pairing eggs with toast at breakfast. She noted that food sequencing does not require separating foods by a fixed interval.

At dinner, for example, a person might start with a salad dressed in olive oil and then eat chicken and pasta together, both of which can affect blood sugar.

“Food order may influence blood sugar alongside the overall quality and balance of our meals,” she said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the study authors for comment.