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?

The human gut refers to the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) or the digestive tract. It hosts millions of microorganisms that make up the intestinal microbiota.

Research has shown that the bacteria living in our gut are very important because of its influence on our overall health. Changes in the composition and function of our intestinal bacteria can cause harmful health effects [1].

Individuals with obesity usually present with altered gut bacteria and elevated inflammation, which all together increases the risk of developing several diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and autoimmune diseases [2].

For this reason, maintaining a heathy body weight and healthy gut bacteria is crucial in the prevention and treatment of diseases, and a healthy and balanced diet plays an essential role in it [3, 4]

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.

Potential Outcomes

Dr. Oliveria, Ph.D, explains that although the Premium study is still ongoing for another few years, they expect promising results. Compared to participants in the control group, the Almased group is expected to experience the following all due to the synergetic effects of its ingredients:

Reduced inflammation
An increase in “good” gut bacteria
Improved metabolism
Lower fat mass
Decrease in appetite

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.

2. Special Natural Fermentation

Almased is made using unique natural fermentation, unlike other nutritional supplements.

Almased’s plant-based formula is fermented to help break down complex nutrients into easy-to-digest structures, unlocking bioactive peptides and other hidden nutrients.

Fermentation helps the body access and absorb more nutrients and micronutrients, like B Vitamins from foods and supplements, that would otherwise be difficult to extract.

Additionally, fermentation supports the growth of good gut bacteria that is necessary for gut health, especially if the diversity of good gut bacteria has been diminished over time by unhealthy eating and lifestyle habits, stress, and medications.

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.

Give Almased a try!

You can find Almased at Walgreens, CVS, Amazon, GNC, Swanson Health and Lucky Vitamin. To speak with a representative about how Almased can fit into your lifestyle, call toll-free 1-877-256-2733.

Sources

1. Lynch, S.V. and O. Pedersen, The Human Intestinal Microbiome in Health and Disease. New England Journal of Medicine, 2016. 375(24): p. 2369-2379.

2. Winer, Daniel A., et al., The Intestinal Immune System in Obesity and Insulin Resistance. Cell Metabolism, 2016. 23(3): p. 413-426.

3. Gentile, C.L. and T.L. Weir, The gut microbiota at the intersection of diet and human health. Science, 2018. 362(6416): p. 776-780.

4. Tidjani Alou, M., J.-C. Lagier, and D. Raoult, Diet influence on the gut microbiota and dysbiosis related to nutritional disorders. Human Microbiome Journal, 2016. 1: p. 3-11.

5. Huang, H., et al., Soy and Gut Microbiota: Interaction and Implication for Human Health. J Agric Food Chem, 2016. 64(46): p. 8695-8709.

6. Ranneh, Y., et al., Honey and its nutritional and anti-inflammatory value. BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2021. 21(1): p. 30-30.

7. Aslam, H., et al., The effects of dairy and dairy derivatives on the gut microbiota: a systematic literature review. Gut microbes, 2020. 12(1): p. 1799533-1799533.

Aslam, H., et al., The effects of dairy and dairy derivatives on the gut microbiota: a systematic literature review. Gut microbes, 2020. 12(1): p. 1799533-1799533.