You may be wondering what links a photo of some dark blue muffins to this blog post about personalised nutrition. In 2019 I took part in the PREDICT (Personalised responses to dietary composition trial) study, led by Tim Spector and the Department of Twin Research at King’s College, London. Initially the aim of the study was to analyse twins’ responses to different foods. It explored how factors such as gut bacteria, activity levels and lifestyle choices can affect our ability to metabolise glucose and fats. Once the initial study was underway, it was then opened up to non-twins and I eagerly signed up to be a guinea pig!
Muffins and hot chocolate – all in the name of science
We spent a day at St. Thomas’ Hospital, arriving in a fasted state for the first of many blood tests. These were subsequently timed to coincide with a variety of muffins and drinks. Of these some were high in sugar, some high in fat, some dark blue so that ‘transit time’ could be monitored! We left with more muffins and drinks for the next two days, a glucose monitor in our arm and blood spot test kits to measure fats and hormone levels (specifically insulin) in our blood. Then we resumed our usual diets, all the while having our responses to the choices we made monitored and assessed. Did we react well, or badly to foods high in sugars or carbohydrates? How did our bodies cope with high-fat meals?
Personalised nutrition – the results
Receiving the results was fascinating. They showed that based on MY metabolism and gut profile, my blood sugar control is poor. Compared to other women my age, I have a higher sensitivity. In contrast, my blood fat control is good, meaning that I can eat dietary fats without causing my body stress. This means that for me, a low-carb healthy-fat (LCHF) approach to eating is the one that I am most metabolically suited to.
However, these weren’t the results that others I met on the study received. Their profile gave them a different picture, and different recommendations for the ideal nutrition for them. Even among the twin cohorts, the insulin and triglyceride (fat) reactions to the different foods gave surprisingly varied results.
What next?
What does this mean for nutrition and the minefield of healthy eating recommendations that bombards us on a daily basis? Should we all be following LCHF, ketogenic, low fat, plant-based or whatever the diet of the moment may be? The answer, based on the PREDICT study, is a resounding ‘no’! We are all individual, with individual responses to the foods we eat and the lifestyle choices we make. As such, it is a case of understanding our own bodies – maybe with some testing to help shed light on our microbiome (gut bacteria) and glucose/insulin reactions to foods – in order to make the very best choices on a long-term basis. By following a personalised approach to nutrition, we can ensure that we are consuming foods that work with us, rather than working against us, and thereby giving our bodies the best possible chance to achieve, and sustain, health.
If you would like to discuss a personalised approach to your nutrition, please get in touch. Email me at [email protected] or complete the form on my contact page. I’d love to work with you to understand the foods most suited to you.
You can read more about the PREDICT study here.
Seasonal eating