Deep Fried Mars Bars and Your Health

Och aye!, there ye be! Flitting about in cyberspace and dropping in here for a wee break. Glad you did and great to see you as always. Soon as you fill your mug with choice arabica and select a wee virtual treat for yourself, I'll bring you up to date on the latest Scottish research. Y'know,  when I was teaching in Bangkok a few years back, my superior was a Scot from Aberdeen. One day, we got on to a discussion of "deep fried Mars Bars" as being a regular treat in Glascow. Well, I didn't think much about it but when we moved back to Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, and went to a summer fair here, lo and behold, there was a booth selling...you guessed it..."deep fried Mars Bars". So, when I saw this study, I knew I had to post it for you to see...in case these 'treats' turn up in your neighbourhood...

Scotland’s purported tolerance for fried candy bars inspired this new medical study:

“A randomised crossover trial of the acute effects of a deep-fried Mars bar or porridge on the cerebral vasculature,” William G. Dunn, and Matthew R. Walters, Scottish Medical Journal, epub 2014.

The authors, at the BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre and the University of Glasow, report:

Introduction The deep-fried Mars bar has been cited as ‘all that is wrong with the high-fat, high-sugar Scottish diet’. We investigated the effect of ingestion of a deep-fried Mars bar or porridge on cerebrovascular reactivity. We hypothesised that deep-fried Mars bar ingestion would impair cerebrovascular reactivity, which is associated with increased risk of ischaemic stroke.

Methods Twenty-four fasted volunteers were randomised to receive a deep-fried Mars bar and then porridge (control), or vice-versa. We used transcranial Doppler ultrasound to calculate Breath Holding Index as a surrogate measure of cerebrovascular reactivity. Change in Breath Holding Index post-ingestion was the primary outcome measure.

Here’s detail from the study:

The results led them to devise this conclusion:

Conclusion Ingestion of a bolus of sugar and fat caused no overall difference in cerebrovascular reactivity, but there was a modest decrease in males. Impaired cerebrovascular reactivity is associated with increased stroke risk, and therefore deep-fried Mars bar ingestion may acutely contribute to cerebral hypoperfusion in men.

Source: www.feedspot.com 

In other words, Jock and Mary...these DFMBs are dangerous to your health. Mind, they don't mention the effect of adding either a skinful of Scotch Whiskey or a dozen pints of MacEwans Export Ale but I suspect it wouldn't aid the situation much.

See ya, eh!

Bob