Food as Medicine platform Heali mobilizes US$3M funds for health equity empowerment

10 Nov 2023 --- US-based digital food as medicine platform Heali, has made substantial moves to democratize access to personalized nutrition to treat and manage chronic diseases in the region. New life has been pumped into the initiative with US$3 million in seed funding and recognition from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for its app.

The platform helps combat chronic illness with evidence-based nutrition protocols that allow people to manage their health with food recommendations. The protocol is delivered via a food-as-medicine app demonstrating clinical-grade health outcomes.

“We’ve mapped out the evidence against 200 conditions for how nutrition can impact people — from autoimmune conditions to gastrointestinal to neurological conditions. We want to give people the knowledge and power to sustain evidence-based lifestyles regardless of their condition and inspire a movement where food can be the first option to combat disease — not the last,” says Kyle Dardashti, co-founder and CEO of Heali.

CDC stamp of approval
Following extensive in-market testing of the food as medicine app and clinical trials conducted during its beta phase, Heali received official recognition from the CDC. Users are given direct access to personalized meal planning, while healthcare providers who are app members receive cost-effective proprietary nutritional guidance for improved health outcomes.Heali’s objective is to make food as medicine practices available to the mainstream.

“By partnering with Heali, we’ve been able to evolve our technology and grant patients the ability to adhere to the personalized dietary protocols recommended. We are seeing significant enthusiasm on the part of patients using Heali,” notes Dr. Ernst Schaefer, co-founder, CMO and lab director at Boston Heart Diagnostics.

According to Heali, one in two US citizens suffer from a chronic condition that can be improved through nutritional coaching. The platform merges traditional medicine and nutrition with its integrated AI, which is registered dietitian-reviewed and approved.

The platform provides personalized nutrition for more than 200 chronic conditions, including diabetes, allergies, autoimmune issues and gastrointestinal problems. Heali also educates consumers with evidence-based therapeutic dietary protocols and supports its adherence, making it feasible for everyday use.

Meanwhile, a comprehensive report endorsed by several esteemed US research institutions has quantified the potential health and economic benefits of Food is Medicine (FIM) – food-based nutrition interventions used in healthcare to treat or prevent chronic diet-related disease.

Digital aptitude
The app’s database has millions of food products and recipes analyzed by its clinical-grade artificial intelligence (AI). Users receive recommendations from registered dietitians and choose meal plans based on a food map.

Key features of the Heali platform include personalized nutrition, evidence-based recommendations, meal planning and tracking and a real-time scanner. Users can track their progress and adjust it accordingly. They can search for recipes and meals based on their medical conditions, health and wellness goals, dietary preferences and preferred tastes.

The program has an in-app scanner that allows users to scan products in grocery stores or on restaurant menus for information about which ingredients do not match their health goals. It also offers healthier substitutes.One in two US citizens has a chronic condition that can be treated with personalized nutrition.

“Heali is advancing personal care by offering an accessible and affordable way for anyone, anywhere, to leverage food as medicine and achieve sustainable nutrition practices. We believe that Heali will be the future of personalized food choices and Astanor supports the company on its mission to enable food as medicine through technology,” says George Powlick, partner at Astanor Ventures, which led the seed funding round.

Future outlook
The app’s efficiency was observed in a recent clinical trial that followed patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) on a low FODMAP diet. Heali’s independently conducted and randomized control trial results demonstrated that patients using Heali had improved their quality of life by 2.6 times and their symptoms improved by two times greater than those not using the app.

The company also provides its infrastructure as a standalone Software as a Service (SaaS) solution, known as Heali Intel. The specialized product is currently being adopted by food businesses aiming to transition into food as medicine enterprises by leveraging Heali’s nutritional infrastructure.

Heali will use the seed funding to expand its product roadmap and grow its commercialization model of providing medically tailored meal suggestions. It plans to offer 1:1 CDC-recognized health coaching and add meal kit delivery options to the app.

By Inga de Jong

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