As the cast of Love Island may well know, a high protein meal is, on paper, a queue jump to a lean, ripped body. So surely it’s fine to chase down your low carb, extra chicken dinner at Nandos with a treat – like a glass or two of Coke? Not quite. According to a new study by the (take a breath) Research Service Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, sweetened drinks are quite possibly the worst accompaniment to a high protein meal. Researchers found that the inclusion of such a beverage can disrupt the body’s energy balance, and store fat as a result. This is because the sweet drinks decrease fat oxidation, the process that breaks down fat molecules. With meals that contain as much as 30% protein, fat oxidation decreased by up to 12.6g on average, priming your fat stores to sit tight and hold on. The findings make an even greater argument for those that see weight management as a calorie counting game. It’s more important to regulate the type of calories that go down, as different foods have different effects upon the body. So the next time you’re hankering for a cheeky Nandos, remember to behave yourself on the beverage front.