Cheat days are actually really harmful, according to science

Life would be so much better if we could eat pizza every day, but alas, our health would deteriorate and we would owe Domino’s a lot of money!

Having a cheat day is as popular as ever. People will eat well for six days of the week and then gorge on their favourite treats on a Saturday or Sunday. We like to think this is the best way to incorporate cookies and chipper into our diet, but we’re so wrong.

One day off won't do any harm, right?

Well, not exactly.

As it turns out, just one day of binge eating can have a huge impact on your body's health. 

Researchers from the University of Loughborough asked 15 healthy people to eat a diet high in fat for just one day. They indulged in three high-calorie meals including, sausages, bacon and fried eggs for breakfast, sausage rolls and cheese sandwiches for lunch, followed by a pork pie snack, then a burger and a chocolate chip muffin.

In total, participants consumed about 78 percent more calories than the recommended amount, and by the end of the day, their whole-body insulin levels had decreased by 28 per cent.

“A single day of high-fat, overfeeding impaired whole-body insulin sensitivity in young, healthy adults. This highlights the rapidity with which excessive consumption of calories through high-fat food can impair glucose metabolism, and suggests that acute binge eating may have immediate metabolic health consequences for the individual,” the study stressed.

It could be time to abolish your cheat day and maybe enjoy a slice of pizza or chocolate bar throughout the week instead?