You learned to like the foods you grew up with, but did you know genetics also influence your food preferences? In addition to influencing your sensitivity to bitter and sweet flavors, genetics also affect brain chemistry and, therefore, how you respond to tastes or other sensory cues.
This Thanksgiving, 23andMe is celebrating all things food, and that starts with sharing what we know about the DNA of your holiday meal.
For example, do you have a sweet tooth? Research shows that people with the GG, AA, or AG genotypes consume, on average, more sugar per day than people with a GC or CC genotype. Those are the people heading straight for the pumpkin pie on Turkey Day!
This Thanksgiving, you’ll also be able to tell if the alcohol flush reaction runs in the family. Relatives with no working copies of the ALDH2 gene are prone to a flushing extreme response from a glass of red wine, while your cousins who inherited two working copies will have little or no flushing reaction.
For people with specific food needs, Thanksgiving can be a challenge. Between 20 percent and 40 percent of us in the US and Europe are likely to be dealing with some form of lactose intolerance in adulthood. At the same time, more than two million Americans suffer from Celiac Disease, a condition that requires them to enjoy a gluten-free holiday feast.
Would you like to know if your ancestors passed down their love of sweets? Or maybe you want to know why you get wired from one cup of coffee? Your 23andMe results will give you a genetic profile that sheds light on:
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if you’re more likely to eat sweet things
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the likelihood that you’ll overeat
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how your body responds to caffeine
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your sensitivity to lactose (the type of sugar found in milk)
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if you should avoid gluten
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your ability to taste Brussels sprouts and other bitter foods
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if you flush from drinking
Will your 23andMe results influence the way you eat? How will your Thanksgiving table look different now that you’ve investigated the genetic association with food?
