NULL DESKTOP yearly equinoxes

How does dietary fat affect the body’s ability to adapt to changing seasons?

Eating saturated fat influences the activity of a protein called PER2, which is central to regulating circadian rhythms and fat metabolism. Consuming too much of it in winter might affect sleep and weight gain. Click on the red areas below to see why:

Spring

Winter

Summer

Autumn

Autumn to winter

As winter approaches, plants make unsaturated fat to help them withstand the cold. This change in diet makes PER2 switch into the mode of drawing on fat stored earlier. Eating saturated fat when the body is in this mode can disrupt circadian rhythms and cause weight gain.

Spring to summer

In spring and summer, edible plants contain mostly saturated fats, which signal bountiful food. In response, PER2 encourages the body to store energy, in the form of fat, that it will use later, when food is scarce.