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Men can typically consume more alcohol than women. However, women are better at processing fatty foods and sugary drinks. What other dietary patterns are influenced by gender?
The impact of gender on nutrition can vary based on factors such as metabolism, hormones, and body composition, says British dietitian Helen Bond.
Experts recommend following dietary guidelines tailored to physiological differences between men and women, because those differences can significantly affect health and longevity.
Men Can Handle More Alcohol
Men metabolize alcohol more efficiently than women because their bodies contain a higher percentage of water and a lower percentage of fat, explained Emma Ketterall, head of research at the charity Drinkaware.
Since women are generally smaller than men, they tend to have fewer alcohol-processing enzymes. As a result, women absorb alcohol into their bloodstream more quickly. The more alcohol that enters the bloodstream, the more intoxicated a person becomes.
However, experts indicate that men are more likely to suffer from alcohol-related diseases than women, as men tend to drink more consistently and in larger quantities.
Women Are Better Adapted to Sugary Foods
A long-term Harvard study found that boys who consume sugary drinks are more likely to develop diabetes than girls.
Professor Roy Taylor from Newcastle University in the UK reported that men face a higher risk of developing diabetes than women, even when they consume the same amount of sugar and weigh less.
Women Can Digest More Fatty Foods
Research has shown that women’s bodies are better equipped to digest large amounts of fatty foods.
Deborah Klegg, a clinical dietitian at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in the U.S., said women’s brains, hearts, and blood vessels are better protected from the effects of fat than men’s.
“It’s as if women’s brains have a chemical force field that shields them from harmful fats and sugars,” she said.
Scientists have also found that women can digest more fatty foods because the female hormone estrogen may mitigate the harmful effects of excess fat.
Researchers believe this evolutionary mechanism helps women safely gain weight during pregnancy.
Men Benefit More from Dark Chocolate Than Women
Dark chocolate is relatively low in sugar and rich in antioxidants that help fight disease. However, it appears to be more beneficial for men’s health, according to the Daily Mail.
Researchers from the University of Aberdeen in the UK studied the blood of volunteers of both genders before and after consuming dark chocolate containing at least 70 percent cocoa. They found fewer blood clots in men’s blood. These clots can be a primary cause of cardiovascular disease, leading to heart attacks and strokes.
Processed Carbohydrates Are More Harmful to Women
While it’s hard to imagine diets without carbohydrates, eating too many refined carbs can harm health—especially processed or “simple” carbohydrates. Examples include soft wheat pasta, white bread, pastries, white rice, sweets, and sugary cereals. These foods lack fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and their consumption can raise blood sugar and insulin levels, increasing the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center in the U.S. discovered another negative consequence of meals high in simple carbohydrates. In a study involving 50,000 participants, they found that refined carbohydrates increase the likelihood of insomnia in older women.
