Scientists Reveal Why Bread Can Cause Weight Gain Without Overeating17 April 2026 ByDavid Nield (Photographer Basak Gurbuz Derman/Moment/Getty Images) New research in mice shows how eating bread can cause body weight and fat mass to increase, even though caloric intake stays at a similar level. The research, led by a team from Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan, highlights how carbohydrates can contribute to weight gain as well as excessive fat intake – which is what dietary advice tends to focus on. This isn't the first time nutritionists have talked about bread and carbohydrates and their contribution to weight gain, but there hasn't been much detailed research into the relationship – especially wheat flour – or into what might be happening at a metabolic level. The team discovered that eating more wheat bread was associated with reduced energy expenditure, pushing the metabolism towards a state where fat storage is prioritized, even when the calories in a diet stay at a similar level. The researchers analyzed the difference that bread in the diets of mice had on their weight (A) and fat tissue (B, C). (Matsumura et al., Mol. Nutr. Food Res., 2026) "These findings suggest that weight gain may not be due to wheat-specific effects, but rather to a strong preference for carbohydrates and the associated metabolic changes," says nutritionist Shigenobu Matsumura of Osaka Metropolitan University. The researchers set up experiments in which lab mice were given a choice between their normal, healthy cereal-based diet and either simple bread, baked wheat flour, or baked rice flour. The mice were then monitored to check their weight and how their bodies burned calories at rest and when active. Using blood samples, the study team also examined hormone, blood sugar, and metabolite levels in the animals, while post-experiment tissue analyses assessed gene expression in the liver. The experiments showed that the mice strongly preferred to switch from their standard diet to carbohydrate-heavy snacks, which then led to weight gain and more fat tissue in the mice, particularly in the males. Further analysis and follow-up tests suggested that these two key changes were being driven not by overeating or a lack of exercise, but by the foods themselves. In the wheat flour diet, fewer calories were being burned overall, while genes responsible for turning carbohydrates into fat were activated. Another follow-up test focusing on the wheat flour group showed that when the chow diet was restored, the weight gain stopped, and the metabolic shifts were reversed. "In the future, we hope this will serve as a scientific foundation for achieving a balance between 'taste' and 'health' in the fields of nutritional guidance, food education, and food development," says Matsumura. The findings are more evidence of how what we eat can cause changes in how our body processes food and burns the calories it contains. In the case of bread, it seems to slow down the body's metabolic engine. One limitation of the study is that it used mouse models, rather than human volunteers. While it's likely that similar processes are happening in people, it's not certain – so that's something future studies can pick up. The researchers also want to experiment with a broader selection of foods to identify what exactly it is about bread that causes this reaction. No diet study like this exists in isolation, of course. We know that a variety of other factors can also impact how our metabolism reacts to food and drink, including age and hormone-related changes. Related: There's a Surprising Link Between a Key Nutrient, Obesity, And Alzheimer's Risk Further research should help establish the role that wheat and bread can play in a diet and how the simple "calories in, calories out" rule isn't always straightforward. "Going forward, we plan to shift our research focus to humans to verify the extent to which the metabolic changes identified in this study apply to actual dietary habits," says Matsumura. "We also intend to investigate how factors such as whole grains, unrefined grains, and foods rich in dietary fiber, as well as their combinations with proteins and fats, food processing methods, and timing of consumption, affect metabolic responses to carbohydrate intake." The research has been published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. ARTICLE SOURCE: https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-reveal-why-bread-can-cause-weight-gain-without-overeating
The Best Way To Reheat Steak, According To Omaha Steaks Executive Chef David Rose – Exclusive
BY OLIVIA BRIA/DEC. 25, 2023 11:15 AM EST
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Leftovers can be the best part of cooking and eating out. Who doesn't love heating up last night's fettuccine alfredo for lunch the next day? Unfortunately, reheating food doesn't always result in the flavor of the food you had the evening before, and sometimes, you end up overcooking it. If you put steak in the microwave, it will cook more, which could result in a medium cut turning into medium well. So, how do you reheat this protein to perfection?
Executive Chef for Omaha Steaks, David Rose, advises using a cast iron pan for optimal flavor. "Slice that nice hunk [of] steak off and use a nice, rip-roaring cast iron pan to get that steak to room temperature," he remarks in an exclusive interview with Mashed. Getting your steak to room temperature is the key to reheating it. If the meat is at a fridge temperature, you risk burning it.
Stay away from the microwave
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"[The steak is already] at the temperature you made it before," David Rowe said. He told Mashed to "stay far away from the microwave" when it comes to roasts, steaks, and red meat. The oven or a cast iron pan works best. At this point, you'll want to add some more olive oil or butter and sear the steak as when originally cooked. Don't do it at too low heat, though, as a quick pan fry will do the job just fine.
Heat until the steak reaches the desired temperature, and you will have a revived, juicy steak. Rose also advises staying true to the aforementioned steps, adding, "There are a million different ways to do it." Read this article to understand the mistakes everyone makes when reheating steak before learning the best trick for reheating steak. Whichever method is the best tasting for you is the one that works!
ARTICLE SOURCE: https://www.mashed.com/1478185/best-way-to-reheat-steak-according-david-rose-interview/
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So once again, ARTICLE SOURCE: https://www.mashed.com/1478185/best-way-to-reheat-steak-according-david-rose-interview/
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