The glucose level response is always individual

An example of the dissimilar effects of identical test meals in different individuals. Whereas Person 7 (subject 7) reacts to white bread with high glucose values, the blood sugar level stays at its initial value for Person 4 and 6. In the case of the “oat flakes” test meal, Person 4 in particular responds with a rise in their glucose concentration. Uses of this diagram is permissible only with the consent of Perfood GmbH individual’s meal plan, not a complete change. Prof. Sina says: “When viewed in the long run, complete lifestyle changes or broad-brush diets simply don’t work because they go against an individual’s life rhythms and habits. Sooner or later, around 95% of all the test persons break off conventional diets or good intentions.” On the other hand, investigation of the individual’s metabolic pattern allows the construction of a nutritional plan that matches the person and his or her habits, life and preferences. Prof. Sina: “After the analysis, we can tell an individual exactly what he personally would do better to reduce, what he can continue to eat and what he should perhaps introduce into his diet plan. Just imagine, you’re standing in a main rail station and are hungry. On the right there’s a cheese sandwich and on the left an apple pie. In this situation, no diet plan will tell you whether you should now reach left or right and for what reason. In this case, a knowledge of your own metabolic type can help you make a decision that is right for you personally.” Prof. Sina is certain that exchanging five to ten percent of their foods will

Wholegrain or wheat bread?

Analysis of the Perfood data entries showed that the reaction of 25 – 30 of every 100 test persons to eating white bread is a significant rise in their blood sugar value, whereas the blood sugar in this group increases only moderately when rye bread is eaten. On the other hand, more than half of the test persons showed exactly the opposite results. Their blood sugar value shot up after eating rye bread, but hardly at all with wheat bread. Approx. 10% of Perfood’s customers show an almost equal response to the two types of bread. Even though with this number of cases the result may not yet be representative of the whole population of the Federal Republic of Germany, one thing is certain: the same recommendation does not hold true for everyone!

already make a diet right for an individual’s type – a diet with long-lasting effectiveness that can be kept up over a prolonged period. “It is also permissible to deviate from it occasionally, because guests are there or you have a craving for a curry sausage. Knowing about their own nutritional type gives individuals the freedom to actively decide.” However, even tailor-made nutrition does not invalidate a few basic rules. An adequate supply of micronutrients and a sufficient amount of movement must both be ensured. Food intake should also not exceed the individual’s calorie requirements.

How exactly is that calculated? There’s also a personalized solution for that in Lübeck. Over a period of time, from their collected data such as weight, blood sugar level, nutritional report etc., a self-learning algorithm develops exactly the correct number of calories for each person for normal everyday life or even for special situations.

Research in Lübeck now clearly shows that examining a person’s individual nutritional type can help not only with classical diseases of civilization such as obesity, diabetes mellitus and an elevated cholesterol level, but with increasing knowledge will also play an important role in the future in relation to digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome or wheat sensitivity. Prof. Sina says: “In fact, we usually eat complex meals, not just single nutrients. That’s exactly why it will be very helpful when we can tell each person individually the things to which he or she should pay attention when putting it all together. The direction is the important thing in this respect, without turning it into a dogma. Eating should continue to be enjoyable.”

About Prof. Dr. Christian Sina

Prof. Dr. Christian Sina is the Director of the Institute for Nutritional Medicine at Schleswig-Holstein University Clinic, Lübeck Campus, Germany, and co-founder of Perfood GmbH, a startup company for personalized nutritional concepts and food innovations. +++