It’s not a bad thing if you pick a toasted bagel for breakfast, while your partner chooses eggs. In fact, according to a new research published in the journal ‘Computers in Biology and Medicine’, that difference could help you lose some weight.
Researchers from the University of Waterloo decided to work on an existing gap in research on sex differences in how men and women process fat. Lifestyle is a big factor in our overall health, so it’s important to understand how seemingly inconsequential decisions, such as what to have for breakfast, can affect our health and energy levels. The study says that whether you’re trying to lose weight, maintain weight, or just keeping up your energy, understanding your diet’s impact on your metabolism is important.
Researchers employed a mathematical model of men’s and women’s metabolisms, which showed that men’s metabolisms respond better on average to a meal laden with high carbohydrates like oats and grains after fasting for several hours, while women are better served by a meal with a higher percentage of fat, such as omelettes and avocados. They had hypothesised that since women have more body fat than men, they would burn less fat for energy, but found that this was not true. The results suggest that women store more fat immediately after a meal but also burn more fat during a fast. There’s a direct relationship between gender and food choices.