Turns out, having your sweetheart nearby at dinnertime may do more than make the meal more pleasant. New research suggests that the presence of a loved one can actually help keep your blood sugar from spiking as high after you eat.
That is not a small thing. Blood sugar spikes after meals are linked to chronic diseases, and keeping them in check is something many of us over 60 think about.
Here is what the research found. People who ate about two slices of bread had a much smaller blood sugar response when their partner was present compared to eating the same amount alone. Same food. Noticeably different result.
Researchers believe loved ones help stabilize that natural post-meal spike, which could theoretically nudge things in a healthier direction over time.
And blood sugar is not the only thing a loved one seems to help with. Research also points to partners helping us regulate body temperature, handle stress better, and even calm babies down more quickly.
So the next time you sit down for a meal together, know that sharing the table may be doing both of you a quiet bit of good. Science is starting to catch up with what many of us already sensed all along.
