With a deep distrust of both traditional health care and food systems, Americans are tired of feeling sick.
Now, a Food as Medicine startup aims to reverse chronic disease, starting with those who need it most.
up to date: Season Health, a startup that helps health plans prescribe food as medicine, is investing $5 million to open community kitchens in food-insecure areas.
Season partners with Territory Foods, a healthy meal delivery service, to help local entrepreneurs establish distribution points for pre-made, clinically approved meals.
Beyond this initiative, Season has launched a pilot study of 1,000 diabetics nationwide, offering coaching, meal assistance, meal delivery via Instacart, and free at-home blood tests via its platform. It offers.
Important reasons: Not surprisingly, consistently inadequate diets make us sick.Food as Medicine has great potential to improve health. conceals sexuality. But access remains a barrier, according to Deloitte.
- More than 48 million US households have members with health conditions that require dietary control.
- About 17 million Americans live in the food desert.
Unfortunately, prescribing a “healthy diet” is not enough. 75% strongly agree that eating the right foods can be the best medicine, but American food education is often skewed by Big Food’s unregulated marketing claims .
- 62% are confused about the health of certain foods because of misinformation.
- 4 in 10 consumers do not have a clear understanding of which perishables act like medicine.
Future plans: While the White House updates federal guidance, many startups are taking action to increase access.
- Healthy fast-casual restaurant Everytable has raised $55 million to open stores in food desserts priced according to zip code median income levels.
- Swap Health, a platform that connects low-income people with access to nutritional therapy and fresh food, was launched with funding from 25m Health.
- Revero, WellTheory, and Vitract use precision nutrition to treat the underlying causes of autoimmune, chronic, and psychiatric illnesses.
- Sifter, which raised $5 million in May, uses an app to help grocery shoppers find the right healthy foods to manage their particular condition.
ending: From personalized nutritional guidance to precision meal kits, getting your diet in order is the next frontier in improving health.
