Top nutritionists warn how just one holiday blowout can change your brain chemistry - and the steps you must take to avoid it
How many of us have spent holidays abroad diving headfirst into vats of pasta and gelato, only to tell ourselves that we’ll ‘definitely eat sensibly’ once we get home to make up for it? It’s a very common scenario, although lots of people find that once they do arrive back home, sticking to good habits is harder than expected.
Well, if you've ever found that making healthy choices difficult after a trip away, then the results of a recent study may explain why. It turns out that even brief forays into overindulgence, particularly on highly processed foods, can change our brain chemistry, which makes it harder to return to our normal eating habits afterwards.
The research was conducted at Tübingen University Hospital in Germany, where a group of healthy weight volunteers were asked to eat their regular diet plus 1,500 calories of highly processed snacks, including Snickers bars, brownies and chips, for a period of five days.
Immediately after the five days of unhealthy snacking were up, MRI scans showed that their brains had become much less sensitive to insulin. After the participants were told to return to their normal diets, scans conducted a week later showed their brains were still showing increased resistance to insulin — something previously only observed in obese people.
Essentially, even a one-week holiday blowout can disrupt your brain in such a way that you crave sugary, high-fat foods when you get home, and have a reduced ability to regulate portion sizes.
This is not, however, to say that you should spend all your holidays eating a boring and restrictive diet – that would be far too depressing. However, if you are keen to maintain your weight, it could be worth trying a few simple switches to make holiday eating healthier. We spoke to nutritional therapist Alexa Mullane and Dr Anna Sanniti, ambassador and adviser for Wiley’s Finest, to discover their top holiday swaps.
SWAP Fried or scrambled eggs FOR Boiled eggs
An easy switch to make at breakfast time, this will save you from choosing eggs that are laiden with hidden oil, butter and cream.
SWAP Pastries FOR Yogurt with nuts and fruit
A pastry and a coffee might be your go-to choice at breakfast, but you’ll feel fuller for longer (and less likely to snack) if you choose a more protein and fibre-heavy breakfast such as eggs with vegetables or Greek yogurt with nuts and local fruits.
SWAP Fruit juice FOR Whole fruits
When juice is made, the fibre contained in the fruits is removed. Fibre is important for a healthy digestive system and can help you to feel fuller. Local fruits are also likely more nutritious, as they haven’t travelled far.
SWAP Butter FOR Extra virgin olive oil
Dip bread with good quality extra virgin olive oil instead of butter and cheese for extra polyphenols and antioxidants. Olive oil is a healthy monounsaturated fatty acid that can also help with weight loss when eaten as part of a healthy balanced diet.
SWAP Bread FOR Olives and crudités
Rather than emptying the bread basket at dinner, choose olives, vegetables, dips such as hummus, or a salad as starters or side dishes to increase fibre and plant diversity in your diet. This will boost your gut health.
SWAP Deep-fried fish FOR Grilled fish
Obviously, we are not going to ban fish and chips on holiday. However, if you can occasionally swap for a lighter, healthier fish option it will certainly be better for your waistline.
SWAP Sweet cocktails FOR Bitter drinks
Alcohol is a hidden source of calories and sugar – and many of us go wild for it on holiday. Aim to limit alcohol to just wine with dinner, and if you like a pre-dinner drink, opt for a bitter drink (like a negroni – typical calorie count 92) to prepare your digestive system for food.
SWAP Carbonara FOR Puttanesca
Select a meal option with more vegetables to increase your fibre and polyphenol intake. For example, select the puttanesca pasta instead of the carbonara, or a pizza with vegetables instead of just cheese and meat.
SWAP Meat FOR Oily fish
Choose oily fish instead of meat for a healthier protein option, and to ensure you reach your weekly recommended omega-3 fatty acid intake.
SWAP Heavy starters FOR Salad
A huge starter can contain as many calories as your average main meal, especially if it’s something deep-fried or full of cheese. Instead, aim to start some meals with a green salad, especially if it contains bitter leaves like rocket which will get the juices flowing to help you digest your food more easily. It will also start the release of leptin, the hormone which tells you when you’re full.
SWAP Sweet potatoes FOR White potatoes
At the buffet, choose complex carbohydrates over refined ones - so choose wholemeal bread instead of white bread, sweet potatoes over white potatoes, and wholemeal rice over white rice.
SWAP Guilt trips FOR Walking trips
Remember you’re on holiday and eating well shouldn’t be stressful - if you want to eat cake sometimes then eat the cake! If you feel like you’ve overindulged, simply go for a 15-minute walk after your meal to use up the glucose and prevent a big blood sugar spike.
Another suggestions from our nutritionists: if you want to try some local desserts, instead of eating the cakes and pastries in the breakfast buffet, insto the local bakery. Walking improves blood sugar, digestion, and cardiovascular health.
