What Is Nutrigenomics? How Your Genes Shape Your Ideal Diet

Nutrigenomics is one of the most exciting frontiers in personalized medicine. At its core, it is the study of how your unique genetic makeup influences how your body responds to food — and how food, in turn, influences your gene expression.

For decades, nutrition science has relied on population averages — the recommended daily intakes, the food pyramids, the universal dietary guidelines. But these averages mask enormous individual variation. Why do some people thrive on a high-fat diet while others gain weight? Why does caffeine sharpen some people's focus while making others anxious? The answer, increasingly, is genetics.