It may seem out of reach, beyond your wildest dreams.

But, guilt-free sugary treats may, one day, be a reality, say scientists.

They have discovered an enzyme that can 'zap' excess sugar from the body, preventing it from being stored as fat.

The 'detox' enzyme also stops the body's cells being poisoned by chemicals produced when the body's cells are overloaded with sugar.

Research by scientists at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre shows the hormone G3PP could offer hope for a treatment for obesity.

And they said diabetics who are unable to remove sugar from their bodies, may also benefit.

Scientists at the University of Montreal found an enzyme, known as G3PP, can protect the body from the toxic effects of having excess sugar in its cells

When there is too much sugar in the body – cells form a chemical called glycerol-3-phosphate, which can damage bodily organs.

Dr Marc Prentki, one of the researchers leading the study, said: 'We found that G3PP is able to breakdown a great proportion of this excess glycerol phosphate to glycerol and divert it outside the cell, thus protecting the insulin producing beta cells of pancreas and various organs from toxic effects of high glucose levels.'

The cells in a mammal's body use glucose and fatty acids as their main nutrients.

Their utilisation inside cells governs many physiological processes, such as insulin secretion by beta cells, production of glucose in the liver, the storage of fat in adipose tissue and a breakdown of nutrients for energy production.

The disturbance of these bodily functions can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

By diverting glucose as glycerol, G3PP prevents excessive formation and storage of fat Dr Murthy Madiraju, University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre

The beta cells sense changes in blood glucose levels and produce insulin according to body demand.

Insulin is an important hormone for controlling glucose and fat utilisation.

However, when beta cells are presented with excess glucose and fatty acids, the same nutrients become toxic and damage them, leading to their dysfunction and diabetes.

When glucose is being used in cells, glycerol-3-phosphate is formed, and this molecule is central to metabolism, since it is needed for both energy production and fat formation.

Dr Murthy Madiraju, who also worked on the study, said: 'By diverting glucose as glycerol, G3PP prevents excessive formation and storage of fat and it also lowers excessive production of glucose in liver, a major problem in diabetes.'

Dr Prentki added: 'It is extremely rare since the 1960s that a novel enzyme is discovered at the heart of metabolism of nutrients in all mammalian tissues, and likely this enzyme will be incorporated in biochemistry textbooks.'

The researchers hope their discovery will help pave the way for new treatments for obesity and diabetes

Their work offers a therapeutic target for obesity, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

The research team is currently in the process of discovering 'small molecule activators of G3PP' to treat cardio-metabolic disorders.

These drugs will be unique in their mode of action and first of their kind in this class of drugs.

The treatment will first have to be confirmed in several animal trials before drugs for human use can be developed.

Professor Iain Broom, Director of the Centre for Obesity Research & Epidemiology, Robert Gordon University, who was not involved in the study said: 'This is an interesting paper and to some extent unusual as new enzymes involved in metabolic control are rare.'

But, he cautioned: 'Care should be taken, however, in reading too much into the possibilities for treatment of disease by focusing on such individual enzymes, especially as the evidence for this control mechanism comes from isolated cells.

'This paper does have an important finding, however, and should not be dismissed lightly - but I would draw the line at statements of "guilt-free sugary treats".

'This is not an accurate by-line for this interesting piece of science.'