genes, culture + food choice

Question 1

what is cilantro?

Answer 1

leafy portion of coriander.

Question 2

used in what countries

Answer 2

south asia, mexico, china, thailand, vietnam.

Question 3

speculated that taste of cilantro depends on?

Answer 3

olfactory receptors + ability to smell aldehydes.

Question 4

cilantro + genes

Answer 4

found that 80% of identical twins had same preference, whereas only 50% of fraternal twins had same preference.
– OR6A2 - but other genes involved as well. affect smell receptors + affect bitterness taste

Question 5

seaweed - consumed where?

Answer 5

east asia. northern europe, coastal Canada.

Question 6

what is seaweed? rich in?

Answer 6

algae. rich in iodine. sulfated polysacch like carrageenan are common food additives

Question 7

microbiome + seaweed

Answer 7

not everyone’s microbiome has bacteria that can break down seaweed

Question 8

how are sulfated polysacch digested?

Answer 8

marine bacteria can digest. one bacterial strain in human gut can produce same enzyme as marine bacteria.
presumably LGT. eating lots of seaweed = bacteria evolve/intermingled w other bacteria to get enzyme.

Question 9

G6PD enzyme deficiency

Answer 9

glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.
hereditary abnormality.
oxidative stressors = rbc destruction => hemolysis + anemia.

Question 10

whos more likely to have g6pd? effectS?

Answer 10

males bc on x-chromosome. differnt levels of deficiency bc polymorphism.
sometimes asymptomatic, sometimes v problematic.

Question 11

how g6pd functions in rbc?

Answer 11

maintain level of reduced glutathione which prevents oxidative damage. lose reduced form = lose protection.

Question 12

what is favism?

Answer 12

genetically inherited metabolic food disorder. from eating fava bean with g6pd deficiency = rbc hemolysis. bc fava bean can cause oxidative stress

Question 13

symptoms of favism?

Answer 13

jaundice bc rbc breakdown. fever, dark yellow urine, fatigue, heavy fast breathing, weak, rapid pulse

Question 14

why are fava beans still produced?

Answer 14

grow well in areas where they are consumed. cost effective.
preparation methods may reduce toxicity.
beans may offer disease resistance

Question 15

g6pd + malaria

Answer 15

deficient in g6pd - mostly in asia, africa.
maybe deficiency stuck around to help ppl with malaria.
malaria die when high [ROS].
alternatively, changes in rbc size + shape = protective against malaria

Question 16

fava - what to avoid + confusion

Answer 16

fava - foul. in arabic, peanuts = foul-sudani; soy = foul-al-soya. all tho not allergic to all, dont eat any.

Question 17

primitive condition of lactase?

Answer 17

none after childhood. not able to digest milk. mutation = not ppl can drink milk

Question 18

video: milk + mutants that love it

Answer 18

7/8 yoa = lose lactase. 70% of ppl cannot make lactase. genetic persistence in 30% of ppl.
gene maintained mostly in europe. for gene to be maintained by be advantageous. 2 reasons why advantage of milk + geography = milk has vit D - not easy to get in northern countries. milk keeps longer in their colder climates.

Question 19

digestion of lactose

Answer 19

lactose = galatose + glucose. breaks down in small intestine to cross intestinal epithelium

Question 20

lactose intolerance = 2 consequences

Answer 20

lactose ferments = produce gas. osmotically attracts fluid into bowel

Question 21

lactose intolerance/malabsorption

• symptoms?
• severity depends on?

Answer 21

nausea, cramps, rumbling, bloat, gas, diarrhea
- severity: amount of lactose ingested, amount of lactase, colonic adaptation (over time if eat, develop lactase digesting bacteria)

Question 22

lactase persistence - where geographically?

Answer 22

genetically determined. euro, some african, middle easten + south asian popln

Question 23

several gene variants

Answer 23

arose independently at least 4 times. european variant different from other poplns.

Question 24

strategies for managing lactose intolerance

Answer 24

recondition gut (colonic adaptation)
single servings of milk w food. 
- yogurt > milk bc lower in lactose (unless milk solids added) = active bacteria facilitates lactose digestion. 
- hard cheese = little lactose. 
lactase tablets

Question 25

lactose intolerance is not cows milk allergy.

Answer 25

intolerance = no lactase, malabsorption, not great digestion. appears later in life when lactase levels decrease

allergy = allergy to whey and casein in milk = immunologic response. could = anaphylactic shock. appears in childhoos