New research suggests that common carbs might slow down your metabolism, even if you do not eat more than usual.
TheDigger Intelligence Unit
Bread and rice might do more than just fill you up. According to a new study from Osaka Metropolitan University, research on mice found that eating these carbohydrate staples can lead to weight gain, even if calorie intake stays the same.
Researchers saw that mice chose carb-rich foods like bread, rice, and wheat flour instead of their usual food.
Even though they ate about the same number of calories, the mice gained weight and body fat. This points to a slowdown in energy use, not overeating, as the cause.
“We found that weight gain may not be due to wheat itself, but to a strong preference for carbohydrates and the metabolic changes that follow,” explained Professor Shigenobu Matsumura, who led the study.
A closer look showed that diets high in carbs lowered energy use, raised blood fatty acid levels, and caused more fat to build up in the liver.
Genes related to fat production and transport also became more active, making the metabolic problems worse.
When wheat flour was taken out of the diet, both weight and metabolism improved quickly.
These findings challenge the idea that high-fat diets are the main cause of obesity.
While fat has often been blamed, this research suggests that common carbohydrate foods might also lead to weight gain by changing how the body uses energy.
Next, Matsumura’s team plans to study humans to see how whole grains, fiber, food processing, and meal timing affect metabolism. “Our goal is to build a scientific foundation for balancing taste and health in modern diets,” he said.
