eating for your genes

DNA nutritional analysis aims to help you make the best sciencebased dietary choices.

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By JoAnn Guidry

Cauliflower needs to become my BFF vegetable. When it comes to fruit, my goto should be raspberries. And tilapia filet, not salmon, is the best seafood for me.

So you’re thinking I recently visited a registered dietician and we spent hours going over what I eat, my activity level, body type and health history. You’d be wrong. The aforementioned dietary recommendations came via a DNA nutritional analysis from only my saliva sample. In fact, those are just bullet points of the fairly detailed analysis done by Milwaukee, Wisconsinbased GenoPalate.

“GenoPalate empowers you with your genetic information to help you eat smarter for a healthier life,” says Sherry Zhang, a molecular biologist who founded and is CEO of GenoPalate. “We analyze 100-plus genetic markers to determine your specific needs of 26 vital nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates and protein. Your genetic profile is then computed with over 3 million genetic and nutrient variables to recommend the best foods for you.”

For instance, cauliflower is my best vegetable because it is low in sugar while high in omega-3, folate and vitamin E, the nutrients I need to increase in my diet. The report selects your top pick with other options in 14 food categories. Because eating cauliflower all the time would be boring, other good veggies for me are broccoli, Brussels sprouts, yellow squash and okra.

What impressed me the most was what GenoPalate got right that I already knew. My report noted that I have a moderate sensitivity to lactose and gluten. From digestive issues experiences, I have known this for years. And here’s another tidbit from my report: Ca eine and alcohol get removed from my system at a slower rate than average. If I drink co ee or eat dark chocolate in the late afternoon, there’s a sleepless night ahead for me. As for alcohol, I did drink socially a little, emphasis on little, in college. Just a drink or two would leave me hung over for days. Hence, I’m a teetotaler.

But I didn’t provide any information even hinting of these dietary nuances to tip the report in those directions. My unique reactions to those substances were sussed out solely from my DNA.

The saliva kit that I ordered from GenoPalate.com cost

$199, and you receive a digital report within four to six weeks. If you’ve already done a DNA ancestry analysis, that data can be used and the fee drops to $99. The company also o ers personalized registered dietician coaching and meal plans for additional fees.

As for me, I’m o to buy cauliflower.

Learn more › genopalate.com