The first of the ZOE Predict studies (known as PREDICT-1) set out to understand how and why people respond in different ways to food. Published in 2020, it enrolled over 1,000 participants and included 660 identical twins. Participants ate standardised muffins – with identical calorie, fat, protein, carb and fibre levels – and their physiological responses to the food were recorded.
At the end of the study, the results were clear. Researchers found huge variation among the participants’ responses to the same food. There was significant variation, even within pairs of identical twins. Not only that, but many were experiencing what researchers called a ‘metabolic cascade’. That is, a chain of unhealthy changes in the body after eating balanced meals made up of protein, carbohydrate and fat. Some experienced steep blood sugar spikes after eating a high-carb muffin, for example, while others barely registered the sweet snack. And while eating high fat foods increased blood fat levels for some, others got away scot-free.
So, why should we care about our metabolic responses? Excessive blood sugar or fat spikes can overwhelm the body’s natural regulations,
