Drinking alcohol may lead people to overconsume savoury ultra-processed foods, according to new research from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre, with researchers suggesting this may contribute to excess energy intake and weight gain. 

The study found these readily available, artificially flavoured savoury foods can act as “protein decoys”, effectively tricking the protein hunger system into seeking foods that taste like protein but do not deliver it. As a result, people may eat more of these foods to satisfy the signal, leading to higher overall intake of fats, carbohydrates, and total energy.