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BOB HIRSHON:
Step away from the donut! I’m Bob Hirshon and this is Science Update.
Eating processed starches and sugars, like pastry and croissants, sends a rush of sugar into your bloodstream. Your body responds by secreting a lot of insulin, sending your blood sugar levels down. That makes you crave more sweets. This see-sawing puts people at risk for diabetes, obesity and other problems. A researcher at Lund University in Sweden found that whole grain breads and cereal at breakfast stop this vicious cycle. In fact, a healthy breakfast helped stabilize blood sugar levels as many as ten hours later—after suppertime.
In related news, USDA researchers found the people drinking two sugar-sweetened beverages a day showed high levels of insulin resistence—a risk factor in diabetes. Insulin resistence didn’t increase in volunteers who drank fruit juices. I’m Bob Hirshon, for AAAS, the science society.