This Enzyme Could Help You Lose Weight By Killing Your Sugar Cravings, Say Scientists
This Enzyme Could Help You Lose Weight, Here's How...
PA / The Huffington Post UK
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If you've got a sweet tooth and are worried about your health then listen up. A protein which is responsible for your sugary-snack cravings could point the way to new drugs that prevent obesity.
An enzyme has been discovered by scientists that seems to drive sugar cravings in the hypothalamus, a brain region that regulates various functions including food intake.
The enzyme, glucokinase, was already known to be present in the liver and pancreas.
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In tests on rats, boosting the protein's activity in the brain caused the animals to consume more glucose in preference over their normal food.
Reducing glucokinase activity led to the rats eating less glucose.
Glucose sugar is a component of carbohydrates and the main energy source for brain cells.
Lead scientist Dr James Gardiner, from Imperial College London, said: "Our brains rely heavily on glucose for energy.
"It's clearly a very important nutrient, but in our evolutionary past it would have been hard to come by. So we have a deep-rooted preference for glucose-rich foods and seek them out."
The evidence suggests that glucokinase in the brain plays a key role in driving our desire for sugary food.
"This is the first time anyone has discovered a system in the brain that responds to a specific nutrient, rather than energy intake in general," Dr Gardiner added.
"It suggests that when you're thinking about diet, you have to think about different nutrients, not just count calories."
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Healthy Snacks With Little Sugar
Celery Sticks With Almond Butter (01 of13)
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For a mid-day snack, try two pieces of celery ribs with natural almond butter.SUGAR COUNT (in teaspoons): 1 (credit:Brian McEntire via Getty Images)
Plain Greek Yogurt (02 of13)
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When you're shopping for Greek yogurt, make sure you're reading the labels carefully. You want to look for yogurt that has no added sugar or is under the 1.7 tablespoon amount. You can also add fresh fruit, like berries, to your yogurt for a sweet kick.SUGAR COUNT (in teaspoons): 1.7 (credit:Liv Friis-Larsen via Getty Images)
Roast Beef And Asparagus Roll-up(03 of13)
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One slide of roast beet, one tablespoon of cream cheese and two asparagus spears. SUGAR COUNT (in teaspoons): 0.6 (credit:Adam Gault via Getty Images)
Shelled Edamame (04 of13)
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Buy your own shelled edamame and steam about half a cup for an afternoon snack. Watch the salt! SUGAR COUNT (in teaspoons): 0.8 (credit:Tetra Images via Getty Images)
Turkey Slices With Cheese (05 of13)
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For this snack, author and certified nutrition consultant Dr. Brenda Watson uses two ounces of cheese. Make sure your cheese and deli meats are bought fresh, and not packaged.SUGAR COUNT (in teaspoons): 0.4 (credit:Brian Klutch via Getty Images)
Mixed Nuts (06 of13)
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Another snack idea is a handful of mixed nuts without any added seasoning, sugar or salt. SUGAR COUNT (in teaspoons): 0.4 (credit:Rita Maas via Getty Images)
Mini Cucumber "Sandwiches"(07 of13)
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Six slices of cucumber, three squares of cheddar cheese and one slice of turkey breast cut into thirds.SUGAR COUNT (in teaspoons): 0.1 (credit:Maya Kovacheva Photography via Getty Images)
Turkey Jerky (08 of13)
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Skip the beef and choose turkey instead. If you can't find packaged turkey jerky, you can always make your own at home. Watson recommends three pieces for a snack. SUGAR COUNT (in teaspoons): 0.4 (credit:James And James via Getty Images)
Baby Carrots With Hummus (09 of13)
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For a nighttime snack, try a 1/2 cup of baby carrots and a 1/2 cup of hummus. SUGAR COUNT (in teaspoons): 1.2 (credit:Hongjiong Shi via Getty Images)
Smoked Salmon And Celery (10 of13)
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Two ounces of shredded smoked salmon, one teaspoon of mayo, black pepper and two celery ribs.SUGAR COUNT (in teaspoons): 0 (credit:PeJo29 via Getty Images)
Cottage Cheese And Pineapples (11 of13)
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Mixing both your servings of dairy and fruits, this recipe calls for 113 grams of cottage cheese (4 ounces) and 1/4 cup of pineapple. SUGAR COUNT (in teaspoons): 1.8 (credit:Rob Lawson via Getty Images)
Instead of putting turkey and cheese in between two slices of bread, Watson suggests taking one slide of deli meat, one slice of cheese and wrapping it in a lettuce leaf for a snack.SUGAR COUNT (in teaspoons): 0 (credit:James And James via Getty Images)
A drug targeting glucokinase or its biological pathway could potentially prevent obesity, the scientists believe. The discovery also has implications for the way people diet.
"People are likely to have different levels of this enzyme, so different things will work for different people," said Dr Gardiner.
"For some people, eating more starchy foods at the start of a meal might be a way to feel full more quickly by targeting this system, meaning they eat less overall."