According to a recent study, eating with food limits the rise in blood sugar levels more than eating a meal alone. Results which highlight the direct influence of social ties on metabolism.
In the Mediterranean model, the contents of the plate are not everything. This diet rich in vegetables, legumes, fruits, unrefined cereals, olive oil, nuts and fish has proven effective in controlling blood sugar levels: in the large Spanish PREDIMED trial, a Mediterranean diet enriched with extra virgin olive oil reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 40% compared to a low-fat diet. But the Mediterranean lifestyle is not just about diet: it is also about daily physical activity, conviviality and social connections.
An Israeli study published in Science Advances provides proof of the influence of this social dimension on the functioning of the organism.
The same meal, alone then as a couple
Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem recruited 108 adults, each accompanied by their partner (54 couples). On the same day, each person ate a standardized portion of white bread (102 g, or 50 g of carbohydrates), at two times of the day: once alone, and once alongside their partner. The order of the two sessions was chosen at random and blood sugar levels were measured with a fingertip for two hours following the consumption of bread. Each participant was thus their own witness.
Results: When the participants ate in pairs, their blood sugar levels rose less high and returned to their starting level more quickly. Over two hours, glucose exposure was reduced by approximately 15%.
“The regulation of blood sugar levels depends not only on what we eat, but also on who we eat with,” summarizes Shir Atzil, who led the study, in a press release.
Read: Beyond sugar: 4 factors that raise blood sugar (subscribers)
Eating in good company, a habit to keep
One hypothesis to explain this result would be stress: the presence of a loved one could have a calming effect, limiting the level of cortisol, the stress hormone known to raise blood sugar levels.
The authors see it as a general principle, which they call “social physiology”. “We thought that the body was an isolated system that regulates itself,” explains Shir Atzil. Our results show that human physiology is inherently social. Being close to someone you love reduces the energy the body spends regulating itself. »
The study only involved healthy people. It might be interesting to reproduce it in prediabetic or diabetic people and also test meals shared with other people – family, friends or strangers.
Meals taken together do not replace good nutrition or physical activity. But, for blood sugar, they also count.
