. The make-up of metabolites found in your blood depends, in part, on what you eat, and this metabolic signature may predict your cardiovascular health.){kind=link}
It turns out the old saying is true: you are what you eat. Foods we consume are digested and absorbed, and then broken down into small chemicals (metabolites). The make-up of metabolites found in your blood depends, in part, on what you eat, and this metabolic signature may predict your cardiovascular health.
A study published recently in the European Heart Journal found that certain metabolites were significantly associated with adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet pattern, and that higher levels of these metabolites in the blood were associated with lower incidence of cardiovascular disease. (A Mediterranean-style diet pattern includes high consumption of fruits, vegetables, seafood, nuts, legumes, whole grains, and olive oil, moderate intake of wine, and lower intake of red/processed meats and sugary desserts and beverages.)
The scientists strengthened their findings by demonstrating an association between cardiovascular health and genes involved in metabolite production rate.
This research strongly supports the health benefits of a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern. It also suggests a mechanism future nutrition research could use to analyze dietary intake that is more accurate than self-reported questionnaires.
Perhaps more importantly, this metabolic signature takes into account normal variations in how individuals respond to diet, including genetics, the gut microbiome, and health status. Measuring metabolites in the blood may be the next step in personalized nutrition, helping us understand why foods are good or bad and how to modify our dietary habits to best meet our individual needs.