Do you want to enjoy sausages, bacon and butter without gaining weight? Research reveals the simple hack to get the body to burn saturated fats for fuel

Most of us enjoy a bacon steak, sausage sandwich or takeaway curry every now and then, even though we know this isn’t the best thing to do if we’re watching our weight.

Now a study has revealed how to get the body to use them as fuel instead of storing them as fat.

Researchers have found that consistently exercising for just five hours a week changes the way the body burns saturated fats and uses them for energy.

A team from the University of Aberdeen investigated how different types of fat are used by the body depending on the individual’s level of physical fitness.

They recruited two groups: “super healthy” male athletes and men with type 2 diabetes who did little to no exercise. Both groups alternated training regimens for eight weeks.

Researchers have found that consistently exercising for just five hours a week changes the way the body burns saturated fats and uses them for energy.

The athletes underwent ‘deconditioning’, where they went from at least nine and a half hours of intensive training per week to no exercise.

Meanwhile, the people with type 2 diabetes followed endurance training where they trained five hours a week.

Before and after the lifestyle change, the volunteers were given small amounts of different fats by injection and underwent MRI scans to see how the fat behaved in their muscle cells.

The results showed that the group with type 2 diabetes lost weight, improved their insulin sensitivity and reduced their cholesterol, triglycerides and fasting glucose levels.

The team also found that saturated fat was used extensively in athletes for physical activity as the ‘preferred energy source’.

HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR FOOD

The vast majority of packaged foods in Britain have nutritional information printed on the label.

The main things to look out for are fat, saturated fat, salt (also called sodium), fiber and sugar – often listed as ‘of which sugars’ under carbohydrates.

In general, foods with more fiber and less saturated fat, salt and sugar are healthier.

Some supermarkets also label the nutritional value with a traffic light system, where more green refers to healthier food.

The NHS advice on what is high or low is as follows:

Total fat

High: more than 17.5 g of fat per 100 g

Low: 3 g fat or less per 100 g

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of fat for an adult is approximately 70 grams.

Saturated fat

High: more than 5 g saturated fat per 100 g

Low: 1.5 g saturated fat or less per 100 g

An adult’s RDA for saturated fat is about 20 grams.

Sugars (aka what sugars)

High: more than 22.5 g of total sugars per 100 g

Low: 5 g total sugars or less per 100 g

The RDA of sugars for an adult is around 90 grams.

Salt (also known as sodium)

High: more than 1.5 g of salt per 100 g (or 0.6 g of sodium)

Low: 0.3 g salt or less per 100 g (or 0.1 g sodium)

The RDA of salt for an adult is 6 grams or less.

Source: NHS choices

Lead author Professor Dana Dawson said: ‘We found that athletes intensively store and use saturated fat for high-performance physical activity, and conversely we observed mainly storage in people with type 2 diabetes.

‘We have also shown in people with type 2 diabetes that endurance training increased the storage and use of saturated fat in their skeletal muscle cells to such an extent that they became comparable to the deconditioned athletes after eight weeks of training.

“Overall, the most striking and completely new perspective we gained from this study is that one size does not fit all and that an individual’s cardio-metabolic health determines how efficiently you can use different fats as fuel. ‘

Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation, who supported the research, said: ‘This small study reinforces the benefits of keeping active on our heart health.

‘Although the study compared two very specific groups – male athletes and men with type 2 diabetes – the findings provide reassurance that being physically active can improve the way the body uses different types of fat.’

Fergus McKiddie, 56, from Aberdeenshire took part in the trial in the athletes category.

Mr McKiddie, who works for NHS Grampian, is in top physical condition and leads an active lifestyle including running, cycling and strength training, making him a perfect candidate for the swap.

He said: ‘My mother-in-law had type 2 diabetes for many years before developing vascular dementia.

‘So I felt like I had to try to help in any way I could to further the understanding and treatment of the disease.

‘It was a bit of a shock for the system to go from exercising every day to doing nothing and it took some getting used to. But I am happy that I contributed to this exciting result.

‘It has changed my perspective on how I eat now. I now worry less about eating natural fats because I better understand how my body handles them and makes good use of them.

‘It also really highlighted the importance of exercise for everyone, especially people with type 2 diabetes, so I’d like more people to know that.

‘It was a very interesting experience and delivered an exciting result that may open up new ways to help the ever-increasing number of patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.’

The findings have been published in the journal Nature Communications.

WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?

Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole grains, according to the NHS

• Eat at least 5 portions of varied fruit and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count

• Basic meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole wheat

• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is the same as eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 whole-grain cereal cookies, 2 thick slices of whole-grain bread, and a large baked potato with the skin still on

• Provide some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks), opting for lower fat and lower sugar options

• Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish per week, one portion of which is fatty)

• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small quantities

• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water per day

• Adults should have less than 6 grams of salt and 20 grams of saturated fat for women or 30 grams for men per day

Source: NHS Eatwell Guide

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