Olive oil first, sugar second: mouse study finds gentler blood sugar rise
Researchers at Kyoto University report that when mice were given olive oil before a sugar solution, their blood sugar initially rose less steeply. Whether this works the same way in humans is unclear.
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Does the order in which we eat affect blood sugar? A Kyoto University study published in the journal Diabetes offers new clues – though so far only from animal experiments. As ScienceDaily reported on 11 October 2026, after an overnight fast mice received either water followed by a sugar solution, olive oil followed 15 minutes later by the sugar solution, or the sugar solution first and the oil 15 minutes later. The researchers then measured blood sugar and several hormones.
The result: when the animals got the olive oil first, their blood sugar initially rose less than with the reverse order. According to the study, the oil slowed gastric emptying, so the sugar reached the intestine later. At the same time, the gut hormones GLP-1 and GIP and the hormone glucagon rose early. The effect also appeared in mice with type 2 diabetes and severe insulin deficiency. It weakened only when both glucagon and GLP-1 were blocked; the vagus nerve was also involved.
Lead researcher Daisuke Yabe said meal sequencing is appealing because it merely changes how a meal is eaten. The researchers stress, however, that further clinical studies are needed to determine whether the mechanisms apply to people with or without diabetes. The release gives no specific effect sizes. People with diabetes should continue to discuss any changes to their diet with their care team.
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