October 2007

A sweet surprise

When some people say they have a “chocolate hormone” as a justification for indulging in the sweet stuff, it turns out they aren’t too far off. Scientists have linked a preference for chocolate to a specific chemical signature that may be programmed into the metabolic system and is detectable by laboratory tests.

The signature reads “chocolate lover” in some people and “indifference” to the popular sweet in others, researchers say.

The study, titled “Human Metabolic Phenotypes Link Directly to Specific Dietary Preferences in Healthy Individuals,” is set to be published in the Nov. 2 issue of the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Proteome Research, a monthly publication. The study, conducted by Swiss and British scientists, breaks new ground in a rapidly emerging field that may eventually classify individuals on the basis of their metabolic type, or metabotype, which can ultimately be used to design healthier diets customized to an individual’s needs.

According to Sunil Kochhar, a scientist with Nestlé Research Center in Switzerland, the recent growth of the new field of proteome research, which focuses on characterizing the structure and function of the complete set of proteins produced by our genes, has allowed scientists to gain a deeper understanding of the metabolic changes that occur when foods are digested.

In addition to providing a better understanding of individual metabolic types, the study could also lead to the discovery of additional biomarkers used to identify new health benefits linked to chocolate and other foods, said Kochhar.

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