Nutritional genetic testing: Understanding your carbohydrate metabolism
Nutritional Genetic Testing: Understanding your carbohydrate metabolism
Ever wonder how your body converts the food you eat and the beverages you drink into energy? It takes a village and then some. Metabolism is the complex chemical or metabolic process in which several systems of the body work together to combine calories and oxygen to create and release energy. This converted energy then fuels your body’s basic functions like moving, breathing, blood circulation, and digestion.
Understanding how your metabolism works can be synonymous with understanding what your body needs in order to function well. Simply put, a good metabolism equals part of maintaining a healthy body. However, your food intake is not the only thing that affects your metabolism. According to studies, your DNA can also affect your metabolism. Your genetic makeup can tell you how much or how little food intake you need to maximize its conversion into energy.
Using genetic testing for nutrition like the one LifeDNA provides can help you know more about your body’s metabolic process based on your genetics.
Why are carbohydrates important for healthy diet?
While many hear the word “carbs” and just about run away, contrary to popular belief, carbohydrates are not necessarily your enemy. Except when you mostly get them from processed food and drinks with calorie-dense ingredients and less nutritional value, then they can cause health problems in the long run.
In fact, carbohydrates are one of the three macronutrients that the human body needs, along with fat and protein. Carbohydrates play a vital role in your body as they provide several services including acting as an energy source and helping control blood glucose and insulin production.
Carbs don’t just mean pasta and bread, though; it is an encompassing term for all food that contains sugar molecules. These include fruits, vegetables, fibers, legumes, and sugar. Technically speaking, you can’t really “cut out” carbs; you can only choose certain subsets that are the healthier option.
Genetic testing for nutrition: How DNA can affect carbohydrate metabolism
Digesting carbohydrates can be a different process from one individual to the next. While you may find yourself on the luckier side and have a faster metabolic rate, the same might not hold true for others around you. Some people can ingest large amounts of carbohydrates without the usual side effects such as weight gain and gastrointestinal problems. Others are more sensitive and noticeably gain weight the more carb intake they have.
Carbohydrate metabolism is the complex process in which the body breaks down your carb intake into fuel for energy. There are several types of carbohydrates, thus, the process of breaking them down also differs.
Simple carbohydrates are typically processed sugars that are more easily digested by the body. While some food and drink have natural sugars such as the lactose in dairy and fructose in milk, unnecessary added sugar like corn syrup and sucrose are found on many grocery shelves all over the world. Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, are digested more slowly and can therefore provide more stable energy for your body in the long run.
Genetic testing for nutritional needs can provide you with more insight into what types of carbohydrates work well with your body based on your genetics.
Genetic Testing for Personalized Nutrition
If your body is more likely to have a faster metabolism, chances are that your carbohydrate metabolism is also good. Improving your metabolism can be done via proper diet and exercise but it is best to keep in mind that these factors are not the only ones you should consider. Your genetic variation can also tell you how your body processes carbohydrates.
Using a personalized nutrition test, your results can tell you how well your body responds to carbohydrate intake. This can help you with your nutrition goal, whether that’s weight management, lowering your blood sugar levels, or simply maintaining a healthy body.
*Understanding your genetics can offer valuable insights into your well-being, but it is not deterministic. Your traits can be influenced by the complex interplay involving nature, lifestyle, family history, and others.
Our reports have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The contents on our website and our reports are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to diagnose any medical condition, replace the advice of a healthcare professional, or provide any medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult with a healthcare professional before making any major lifestyle changes or if you have any other concerns about your results. The testimonials featured may have used more than one LifeDNA or LifeDNA vendors’ product or reports.
