If you feel sluggish after a plate of pasta and you’re struggling to stay slim, your genes could be to blame
Ever cut down carbs at the same time as family and friends, only to watch their pounds slip off while your waistline stays the same? Or do you often fancy a nap after polishing off a pizza? It could be down to your DNA, says genetics expert Dr Sharon Moalem, author of The DNA Restart: Unlock Your Personal Genetic Code (Rodale).
‘We have a gene called AMY1 that produces amylase, an enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates,’ explains Dr Moalem. The more copies of that gene you have, the more able your body will be to process bread, rice and pasta. ‘Eat more carbs than your body can handle and this may lead to high blood sugar levels,’ adds Dr Moalem. This can cause your body to store the excess as fat.
Take our quiz so you can discover how many carbs you should really be eating...
If you scored…
8+ POINTS...
✣ You should go easy You probably didn’t get a sweet hit from the cracker test and may slump after eating carbs, leaving you craving more. ‘Although your blood sugar levels may be high, your body isn’t efficiently processing it, so it may still be calling for more energy,’ says Dr Moalem. Your allowance of calories from carbohydrates should only be 25%. So, based on a recommended daily intake of 2,000 calories, 500 of these can be from carbs. This is around 125g – check food labels for the carb content so you can work out your intake.
✣ How to curb cravings Have an umami hit to make you feel more satisfied. ‘Umami is the fifth taste after sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Add double concentrate tomato paste and anchovy paste to pasta – both offer umami flavour – so you’ll feel sated with a smaller portion. Or have umami-rich miso soup before meals so you don’t load up on carbs. The good news? You may be able to easily shift excess pounds by curbing your carb intake.
4-7 POINTS...
✣ Go for a happy medium You’re moderately tolerant of carbs. Your intake of calories from carbs should be 35% – this would be 800 calories of carbs – or 175g.
✣ How to curb cravings ‘Snacking is often people’s downfall. Carbohydrate snacks give a burst of energy, but leave you wanting more. Choose food with fat and protein, such as nuts or cheese, which is particularly satiating,’ says Dr Moalem.
0-3 POINTS...
✣ You can handle them It’s likely your body is fine-tuned to process carbs and therefore you can get away
