Nutrition is important to men and women; however, some foods one views as healthy can be unhealthy to the other because of the relationship between a person's microbiome and his blood sugar levels.
An Israeli study proved that "healthy" foods differ by individual. Published in the medical journal "Cell" in November, the research findings revealed that even with similar food choices and amounts consumed by people, effects varied from oen person to another. The metabolic process of an individual rose as the primary reason behind the results.
According to a study conducted at Weizmann Institute of Science, the glycemic index of a particular food is not the same for each other; rather, it is dependent on the person eating that food. Glycemic index measures the ability of a certain food to raise one's blood sugar levels and high glycemic indices are related to health conditions, such as diabetes and obesity.
The trial involved 800 volunteers, who were asked to complete health and lifestyle questionnaires and undergo body measurements and blood tests. They were also asked to record their sleep time, activities, and the food they consumed using a mobile app food diary.
To measure blood sugar levels, the participants were instructed to have their blood sugar measured every five minutes for the whole week, with the use of a subcutaneous or under-the-skin glucose monitor. The findings revealed that meal report was at par with the biometric data acquired from the participants' glucose monitors.
According to CNN, there are trillions of bacteria in a person's digestive tract and scientists have determined that bacteria in the gut microbiome are hundred times than the number of genes in a one's genome. Linked with conditions like obesity and diabetes, cartain microbes are associated to the level of sugar rise after meals.
Overall, the study implied that each person has different sets of microbes in his gut microbiome that affects a person's blood sugar levels. This explains why a particular food for an individual may not be the perfect one for the other.