This “sugar and oil mixture” makes you fatter than drinking oil. Why can’t you stop eating it once you start?

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, golden in color, the fried dough sticks sizzling in the frying pan, paired with soy milk, are a must-have breakfast for many people; young people love to eat potato chips, they can eat a slice in their spare time, with a crunch, they are crispy and delicious; children love to eat donuts and cakes, they leave a lingering fragrance in your mouth after a bite, who can resist?

Carbohydrates and fats, these two food codes that stimulate the taste buds, are temptations that almost everyone cannot resist. However, these seemingly harmless foods actually hide health hazards.

Image source: giphy

What is a "sugar oil mixture"?

Which common foods are “sugar and oil mixtures”?

Many people simply think that sugar and oil mixture is a food that contains a lot of sugar and oil. In fact, if you trace the origin of this word, you will find that the essence of sugar and oil mixture is not like this.

The term first became known to the public in a documentary called "The Sugar-Oil Trap" made by the British radio station BBC in 2013. The definition of sugar-oil mixture in it is: high in sugar (including carbohydrates such as starch, which can be converted into sugar in the body), high in fat and highly processed .

In fact, there are not many natural foods that are high in sugar and oil. Sugar and oil mixtures are often processed foods. Common sugar and oil mixtures include but are not limited to:

● Staple food : fried dough sticks, fried noodles, hand-grabbed pancakes, grilled cold noodles, meat dumplings, sesame dumplings, etc.;

● Dishes : Sweet and sour pork, braised pork, braised/cola chicken wings, sweet potato shreds, etc.

● Pastries : cakes, cookies, pork floss bread, donuts, Cantonese-style mooncakes, etc.;

● Snacks : potato chips, milk chocolate, French fries, milk tea with milk cap, spicy strips, non-freeze-dried fruit crisps, etc.;

● Fast food : fried chicken, French fries, instant noodles, etc.

These foods can be found everywhere, whether in supermarkets, dessert shops or fast food restaurants, and their temptation is often irresistible.

Why is eating "sugar and oil mixture" addictive?

Can't stop at all?

I don’t know if you have had this experience: after drinking milk tea for a few days a week, your craving for milk tea becomes stronger and stronger, from drinking one cup every few days to drinking one cup every day, and you want to drink it as soon as possible.

Studies have shown that sugar and fat are both addictive to the human body .

In January 2024, Cell Metabolism, a well-known international biology journal, published a research paper on how sugar-oil mixtures can lead to overeating.

Image source: Screenshot of Cell Metabolism news

The researchers asked mice to lick fat, sucrose, and a mixture of sugar and oil with equal caloric content and found that the mice licked the sugar-oil mixture twice as often as the other liquids, compared with fat or sucrose alone.

Then, the researchers considered whether the difference was caused by different tastes. So, in order to eliminate the interference of taste, they tested again by injecting directly into the stomach without tasting the taste in the mouth. They found that even without tasting the taste, the mice still licked the sugar-oil mixture more times than the other two.

Image source: Cell Metabolism

This suggests that the mice's preference for the sugar-oil mixture has nothing to do with taste and is the result of signaling in the body after ingestion.

After consuming the sugar-oil mixture , the reward center of the brain releases more dopamine, making people feel happy and satisfied, thus forming a dependence on the sugar-oil mixture.

Therefore, once we start to eat these foods frequently, we can easily fall into a vicious cycle of "eating and not being able to stop", and even become an irresistible habit. The body will unknowingly consume the high-calorie mixture of sugar and oil, sowing the seeds of "obesity".

Why don't you eat more?

"Sugar and oil mixture"?

Although the sugar-oil mixture looks delicious, it is actually a representative of "making people fatter than drinking oil". Long-term excessive intake of sugar and oil will cause the following harm to the body:

1

High in calories and addictive ➡️ Obesity

The above introduces the addictiveness of sugar and oil mixtures, which makes you eat more food without realizing it. In addition to eating more, sugar and oil mixtures are high-calorie foods, which can easily lead to excessive energy intake, which in turn leads to weight gain and even obesity.

Simple obesity is not terrible, but studies have also shown that abdominal obesity is closely related to the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other diseases.

Let's take a look at the calorie difference between sugar-oil mixture foods and other similar foods.

Data sources: "Chinese Food Composition Table (Standard Edition)", Mint Health, and brand nutrition composition tables on e-commerce platforms

2

Saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids ➡️ Cardiovascular disease

Most of the "oils" in the sugar-oil mixture need to be heated at high temperatures. Therefore, when cooking or making, either use highly saturated fats (such as butter, lard, palm oil), which are highly stable; or use highly unsaturated vegetable oils, but trans fatty acids may be produced during the heating process.

● Saturated fatty acids

Sugar-oil mixtures cannot do without oil, which gives food an attractive taste and makes saturated fatty acids more stable at high temperatures. Some fried foods are high in saturated fatty acids, such as lard in Chinese pastries, butter in biscuits, cream in cakes, and palm oil in some products.

However, too much saturated fatty acid will increase the level of "bad cholesterol" in the blood - low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL). High levels of "bad cholesterol" in the blood increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. The Chinese Nutrition Society recommends that daily saturated fatty acid intake should not exceed 10% of total daily energy.

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● Trans fatty acids (TFA)

The impact of trans fatty acids on cardiovascular system is more serious than that of saturated fatty acids.

Trans fats not only increase "bad cholesterol" (which may accumulate on the walls of arteries, making the arteries hard and narrow), but also reduce "good cholesterol" (which collects excess cholesterol and carries it back to the liver), increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke .

The World Health Organization recommends that adults should consume no more than 1% of their total energy, or 2.2g, of trans fatty acids per day. Sugar-oil mixtures are a major source of trans fatty acids for Chinese people.

Image source: Dietary intake level of trans fatty acids among Chinese residents and its risk assessment

3

High GI and high fat ➡️ Metabolic disorders

Foods with a glycemic index greater than 75 are considered high GI foods. Long-term intake of large amounts of sugar and fat will disrupt the body's metabolic balance, affect the metabolism of energy, fat and blood sugar, and increase the risk of metabolic diseases such as diabetes and hyperlipidemia.

For example, most sugar-oil mixtures are made with refined grains or sugars, which raise blood sugar levels quickly.

4

High sugar ➡️ Oral health problems such as tooth decay

Sugar is one of the main sources of energy for oral bacteria. When these bacteria consume the sugar-oil mixture, they metabolize the sugar and produce acidic substances. These acidic metabolites lower the pH of the mouth, making the oral environment more acidic. In an acidic environment, the minerals of tooth enamel are eroded, leading to tooth decay and other dental diseases.

In addition, high-sugar foods can also promote the growth of bacteria in the mouth and increase the risk of dental diseases. Therefore, controlling sugar intake and maintaining good oral hygiene habits are very important for preventing dental diseases.

Although sugar-oil mixtures have many health hazards, we all know that "talking about toxicity without talking about dosage is foolish." Of course, it is best not to eat this kind of food, but if you really like it, you can do this to minimize the health hazards.

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Really greedy,

How to eat healthier?

Although sugar and oil mixtures may be unhealthy, it does not mean that we should completely avoid them. It is okay to enjoy some healthy sugar and oil mixtures in a reasonable manner. Here are some healthy eating suggestions:

① Control the amount and frequency : Eat in moderation, do not consume excessively, and do not eat frequently. For example, you can eat a piece of cake on your birthday or when you and your relatives and friends celebrate their birthdays, but do not eat it frequently as a snack.

② Choose healthy cooking methods : Try to choose healthy cooking methods such as steaming, boiling, and baking to reduce the intake of fat. For example, braised chicken wings can be made into stewed chicken wings; when cooking instant noodles, you can soak the noodles in boiling water, pour out the water, and then cook them.

③ Substitutes : Choose low-sugar, low-fat substitutes, such as whole wheat bread instead of meat floss bread, fruit instead of desserts, etc.

④ Reasonable combination : Combining foods rich in high-quality protein, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, such as milk, boiled eggs, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, etc., can balance nutrition, lower the blood sugar response of food, and reduce adverse effects on the body.

In short, although the mixture of sugar and oil is tempting, we must consciously control our intake, choose healthy foods, and exercise properly to enjoy delicious food while staying healthy.

Summarize

Sugar and oil mixtures are addictive, which can increase your intake without you noticing, and increase your risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, metabolic problems, and dental health. In your daily diet, try only a little, and if you really want to eat, control the amount and frequency, and choose a reasonable cooking method to improve it.

References

[1] McDougle M, de Araujo A, Singh A, Yang M, Braga I, Paille V, Mendez-Hernandez R, Vergara M, Woodie LN, Gour A, Sharma A, Urs N, Warren B, de Lartigue G. Separate gut-brain circuits for fat and sugar reinforcement combine to promote overeating. Cell Metab. 2024 Feb 6;36(2):393-407.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.12.014. Epub 2024 Jan 18. PMID: 38242133.

[2] AHA.Saturated Fat.https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/saturated-fats

[3] Chinese Nutrition Society. Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022 Edition)

[4] Mayoclinic.Trans fat is double trouble for heart health.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/zh-hans/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/trans-fat/art-20046114

[5] National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center. Dietary intake level of trans fatty acids and its risk assessment among Chinese residents.

[6] Yang Yuexin. Standard Edition of Chinese Food Composition Table (6th Edition/Volume 1)

Planning and production

Author: Li Chun, National Registered Nutritionist

Reviewer: Ruan Guangfeng, Director of Science and Technology Department, Kexin Food and Nutrition Information Exchange Center

Planning丨Wang Mengru

Editor: Wang Mengru