Carbs not absorbed if cold?????

[Omlette]

A friend of mine is seeing a nutritionist. The nutritionist told her there is a new study about calories and carbs not being absorbed as much in the body when they are eaten cold.

It makes no sense to me, but I was wanering if any of you have heard about this, seen the study etc. I would like some great words of wisdom before responding to her.

Thanks.

[LisaS]

I would just ask her for the specifics of the study, where it was published, in what journal, etc. Then get the study and read it. Until you do that and know what was studied and what was actually found there is nothing to really talk about.

[bluejay111]

Sounds to me like she better get a new nutritionist. From my understanding most food gets digested in the stomach and absorbed in the small intestine. I would think that by the time this happens all food would be at or near body temperature.

[maxlharris]

While I think the nutritionist has it wrong, it would take energy for the body to maintain homeostasis (particularly WRT temperature) while ingesting cold food. I don't think cold is going to block/impair carb utilization, but eating cold food may improve your efficiency at burning calories.

CAVEAT: ON THE MARGIN. ON THE MARGIN. ON THE MARGIN. Using body heat to raise food temp from cold to body temp is not a license to eat burgers and fries that have sat in the freezer.

[Omlette]

While I think the nutritionist has it wrong, it would take energy for the body to maintain homeostasis (particularly WRT temperature) while ingesting cold food. I don't think cold is going to block/impair carb utilization, but eating cold food may improve your efficiency at burning calories.

CAVEAT: ON THE MARGIN. ON THE MARGIN. ON THE MARGIN. Using body heat to raise food temp from cold to body temp is not a license to eat burgers and fries that have sat in the freezer.


this is what I am wondering if the nutritionist is thinking. ie. drink ice cold water to raise the metabolism a little to burn more calories type of thing.

I have requested she get the name and journal name or a copy of the paper for me to read.

[Mitra]

Dr Mike blogged about this one, I think: Resistant Starch (http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/metabolism/resistant-starch/)

[Omlette]

Yep, it is resistant starch. she sent me the link to the article in a magazine, not a journal. It is talking about resistant starch. The moment I saw it, I thought about Dr. Mike's blog.

Thanks.

[LisaS]

so - either the nutritionist read the article about resistant starch and decided to inform her clients about it by actually saying "eating food cold decreases the calories and carbs absorbed" or she said something else entirely where the takeaway message for her client was that "eating food cold decreases the calories and carbs absorbed" or your friend really misinterprets what she is told by the nutritionist - in any case, there would seem to be a communication or comprehension problem. (just MHO)

[Viking Dan]

Sounds like its time to switch to the cold pizza and ice cream diet. Woo hoo!