63-year-old Choi Hwa-jung manages her figure by following 'this rule' while eating... What is her secret?
Broadcaster Choi Hwa-jeong (63) revealed her own management secret.
On the 30th of last month, the YouTube channel "Hello, this is Choi Hwa-jeong" posted a video titled "Choi Hwa-jeong's First Reveal of Eating Four Bowls of Noodles from Her Seat." In this video, Choi Hwa-jeong was eating noodles and said, "They say that if you eat vegetables or protein before carbs, you won't gain weight, right?" and "So I also drink soybean soup first." When asked if the difference is only about five seconds, Choi Hwa-jeong explained, "It's different. Whether a sugar spike occurs in your body or not makes a huge difference. I eat vegetables and protein first and then eat carbohydrates last," revealing her secret to managing her diet. What benefits might the eating method shared by Choi Hwa-jeong have for our bodies?
Actually, eating dietary fibers such as vegetables first during a meal can help with weight management. Since dietary fibers take a long time to digest, eating them first can prevent a rapid spike in blood sugar levels. When blood sugar rises slowly, it is less likely to cause hunger easily. Additionally, vegetables high in dietary fiber need to be chewed for a long time to swallow comfortably, and the more times you chew, the more the satiety center is stimulated. Feeling full also helps reduce the subsequent intake of proteins and carbohydrates.
The reason for consuming protein before carbohydrates is that it is less likely to be converted into fat compared to carbohydrates and helps you feel fuller. In particular, plant-based proteins (such as legumes) raise blood sugar levels more slowly than animal-based proteins (such as fish and meat), so eating plant-based proteins first is more effective.
The reason for consuming carbohydrates last is also to reduce the amount of food intake as much as possible. Refined carbohydrates such as rice, noodles, and bread cause blood sugar levels to rise rapidly compared to other nutrients, making it easy to convert into fat. Therefore, filling the stomach with dietary fiber and protein foods before eating helps to feel full and prevents overeating carbohydrates. In fact, according to a study by a research team at Cornell University in the United States, the group that first consumed dietary fiber and then ate protein and carbohydrates consumed fewer calories and felt less tempted by high-fat or fried foods compared to the group that did not follow this order.
Meanwhile, not looking at your mobile phone during meals can also help reduce calorie intake. According to a study published in the Journal of Physiology and Behavior in 2019, using a mobile phone or reading messages while eating results in 15% higher calorie consumption compared to not doing so. The research team explained that distraction caused by mobile phone use interferes with the brain's ability to recognize how much food has been eaten. For the same reason, it is advisable not to read books or magazines or use a laptop while eating.