From Annie’s Pump Club and made clearer/more accurate by me!
When is an “unhealthy” food actually healthy? When you believe it is.
Research suggests that your perception of the “healthiness” of food influences how your body reacts to it.
The study was a fascinating example of “where the mind goes, the body follows.” The scientists had participants drink either a high-fat and high-sugar milkshake, a low-fat, low-sugar milkshake, or water. Then, they tested everyone’s flow-mediated dilation (FMD), which is a marker of endothelial function related to cardiovascular health. In other words, they were testing to see how the different drinks impacted the functioning of the participant’s arterioles.
(Flow-mediated dilation is the way the arterioles relax, become wider and so their resistance to blood flowing along them decreases as the blood flow increases! It’d be a bit like you car’s fuel lines getting wider (which they don’t, of course) if you were to press the accelerator pedal. In humans, it’s mediated by nitric oxide release from the healthy lining of the arterioles- Gyakuto)
Those who drank the high-fat, high-sugar drink experienced worsened FMD compared to the low-fat, low-sugar milkshake or water. No big deal, right? Not exactly.
The participants didn’t realize it, but both milkshakes were identical (high in fat and sugar). However, those who thought they were drinking a healthier version didn’t experience the negative effect on FMD function
This adds to the growing research about the “nocebo effect,” which focuses on how negative expectations can influence physical health. This can work against you when you’re taught to believe that foods are bad or dangerous — when, in reality, they are not.
The study found that when participants thought the milkshake was healthier — even though they were still drinking a high-fat, high-sugar milkshake — their arterial function was similar to drinking water.
This isn’t to say you should be drinking milkshakes every day. If you consume highly caloric and high-sugar foods repeatedly, it will negatively impact your health. But, the poison is in the dose. By understanding that food is not inherently bad — and building habits that help you eat well most of the time — you can prevent your mind from harming your body
When is an “unhealthy” food actually healthy? When you believe it is.
Research suggests that your perception of the “healthiness” of food influences how your body reacts to it.
The study was a fascinating example of “where the mind goes, the body follows.” The scientists had participants drink either a high-fat and high-sugar milkshake, a low-fat, low-sugar milkshake, or water. Then, they tested everyone’s flow-mediated dilation (FMD), which is a marker of endothelial function related to cardiovascular health. In other words, they were testing to see how the different drinks impacted the functioning of the participant’s arterioles.
(Flow-mediated dilation is the way the arterioles relax, become wider and so their resistance to blood flowing along them decreases as the blood flow increases! It’d be a bit like you car’s fuel lines getting wider (which they don’t, of course) if you were to press the accelerator pedal. In humans, it’s mediated by nitric oxide release from the healthy lining of the arterioles- Gyakuto)
Those who drank the high-fat, high-sugar drink experienced worsened FMD compared to the low-fat, low-sugar milkshake or water. No big deal, right? Not exactly.
The participants didn’t realize it, but both milkshakes were identical (high in fat and sugar). However, those who thought they were drinking a healthier version didn’t experience the negative effect on FMD function
This adds to the growing research about the “nocebo effect,” which focuses on how negative expectations can influence physical health. This can work against you when you’re taught to believe that foods are bad or dangerous — when, in reality, they are not.
The study found that when participants thought the milkshake was healthier — even though they were still drinking a high-fat, high-sugar milkshake — their arterial function was similar to drinking water.
This isn’t to say you should be drinking milkshakes every day. If you consume highly caloric and high-sugar foods repeatedly, it will negatively impact your health. But, the poison is in the dose. By understanding that food is not inherently bad — and building habits that help you eat well most of the time — you can prevent your mind from harming your body