Improving Gut Health and Solving Inflammation Naturally

In the last decade, gut health and inflammation have become popular health topics. The spike in interest stems from the growing number of Americans suffering from at least one chronic disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the US 6 in 10 adults have a chronic disease and 4 in 10 have two or more.

According to numerous research, a strong connection among gut health, inflammation, and disease exists as the gut plays a crucial role in influencing inflammation, which affects the immune system that takes part in managing disease.

The Gut Health Connection - Could Unhealthy Gut be the Root Cause of Your Health Problems?

Exploring the Impact of Almased on Gut Health

According to Dr. Camila Oliveria, Ph.D. from the University of Alberta, who authored results of a metabolism study using Almased in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, certain nutrients seem to affect the gut bacteria more than others. Almased contains several of these nutrients that originate from its three main ingredients: soy, honey, and yogurt.

Existing research on each of these individual ingredients demonstrated an association between the consumption of soy products, honey, and yogurt with an increase in “good” gut bacteria population and decrease in inflammation [5-7].

Considering the nutritional composition of Almased, researchers want to understand the combined effect of its ingredients on gut bacteria and inflammation, especially in individuals with excess body weight.

Premium Study – New Almased Microbiome Research Underway

Starting in 2019, world-renowned scientists Dr. Jens Walter and Dr. Carla Prado at the University of Alberta (Edmonton, AB, Canada) began investigating the effects of Almased on gut bacteria, inflammation, metabolism, fat and muscle mass, and appetite in adults with excess body weight.

The ongoing study, known as Premium Study, is conducted using randomized controlled design in which eligible participants are divided into two groups.

1) Almased group: Participants in this group replaces two snacks per day (morning and afternoon) with Almased for 12 weeks

2) Control group: Participants in this group maintains their usual diet for 12 weeks

All participants attend three follow-up visits at the Human Nutrition Research Unit, a world-class nutrition research centre in Canada. During each visit, participants provide blood and stool samples, answer diet questionnaires, and have their body composition and energy metabolism assessed. On a weekly basis, one of the researchers contacts the participants to check on their status and ensure that instructions are followed.

3 Ways Almased Nutritionally Supports Gut Health

1. Low Sugar Intake

Eating less sugar can support better gut health balance as a diet high in sugar (and fat) can negatively impact the gut microbiota.

The less sugar eaten, the more room there is for healthier gut-friendly foods in the diet, such as complex carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and healthy fats.

Each serving of Almased contains only 15 grams of carbohydrates – this is relatively low compared to the standard carb recommendation of 45-90 grams per meal for healthy adults and 45-60 grams of carbs per meal for people with diabetes. Not to mention, Almased features the ideal 2:1 protein to carb ratio.

3. Gut-Friendly Ingredients

The 3 main ingredients found in Almased are soy, yogurt, and honey. These food items are known to modify the composition of the gut microbiota, increasing the population of the beneficial bacteria and decreasing the pathogenic ones. The balance in our gut bacteria provides several health benefits.

The bioactive components of soy, such as soy protein and isoflavones have been shown to positively modulate the “good” bacteria in the gut. In addition, some gut bacteria can metabolize isoflavones and generate metabolites that are able to produce several health benefits. Naturally fermented foods such as yogurt contain several bacterial strains that support the health of the gut microbiota. Lastly, honey contains prebiotics (oligosaccharides) that are fermented by our gut bacteria and modulates its balance.