Thanks to a recent boom in the wellness industry, personalised nutrition tests have gained more and more popularity. Not only do they offer useful insights on digestion, gut health and glucose levels, but the results are completely tailored to the individual user. Yes, devices such as the best sleep trackers and best smart rings have been doing this for a while, but nutrition tests were originally accessible via clinics or GP screenings, so it's a pretty exciting development.
You've probably heard of the infamous Zoe programme, but did you know there are a number of other nutrition tests to choose from as well? This guide is certainly a work in process, but as we try each programme out, we'll be sure to add it here for your perusal.
Keep reading to find out which personalised nutrition test is best suited to you, and why they're such a useful addition to the wellness tech industry altogether.
Lizzie is T3's Home Staff Writer, also covering style, living and wellness. She works closely with Bethan Girdler-Maslen, T3's Home Editor, ensuring all the latest news, trends and recommendations are covered. Lizzie's a huge wellness fanatic, and get's extremely invested in any piece of tech that's designed to improve our general health and wellbeing.
A comprehensive testing process with in-depth results
+ Four different tests
+ Impressive accompanying app
+ In-depth and speedy results
- Participation limitations for those with certain health issues
- Expensive
The Zoe nutrition programme is a great way to find out what specifically works for your body and why. It's one of the more comprehensive nutrition tests out there, especially as it tests your gut health, blood fat analysis and blood sugar levels, as well as your diet. The testing process is easy to follow and the results come back quickly, providing in-depth advice and guidance via the Zoe app. The brand's choice of CGM and participation limitations could be improved, but the entire programme is worth its high price point. Check out my full review to find out more.
A useful test to help regulate your diet and stress levels
+ Choice between two week or two month plan
+ CGM doesn't need to be scanned each time to read results
+ Easy and painless application
- Lingo app is quite hands-off
Unlike other programmes, the Lingo test is designed to singly assess your blood sugar levels. The Lingo biosensor is worn directly on the skin and takes readings throughout the day, displaying your blood glucose on a graph via the app. It's particularly useful to see which foods and drinks cause a spike, allowing you to amend your diet to keep you blood glucose as steady as possible. Our Editor-in-Chief tried it for himself, and did point out the app could have been more structured. However, it's still a useful way to help regulate your diet and stress levels, and it isn't that pricey either.
A useful test to help regulate your diet and stress levels
+ Food intolerance kit is optional
+ Two devices to choose from
+ Measures hydrogen and methane gas levels
- Requires 10 breath readings a day
FoodMarble's AIRE 2 is similar to a breathalyser, but it measures fermentation levels in your digestive system to help you understand how your gut digests food. The accompanying app requires a lot of attention, but it's proved to offer insightful results in real-time. Users can also choose to add a food intolerance kit, which helps to assess how certain food types affect your body. It's quite expensive, but there is an older model (FoodMarble AIRE) that's a bit cheaper. The only difference between the two is that the AIRE 2 measures methane levels as well as hydrogen levels, whereas the AIRE just measures hydrogen.
How to choose the best personalised nutrition test
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There are many factors you should consider when selecting a personalised nutrition test, especially as you'll be using home-testing kits.
Firstly, you need to establish what you're looking to get out of the tests. If you're looking to singularly improve your blood sugar regulation, the Lingo Biosensor or FoodMarble AIRE 2 are the ones you should opt for. If you suffer from low energy levels or disrupted gut health but don't quite know what's wrong, the Zoe nutrition programme is a more extensive way of finding out.
You should also think about your budget. The Zoe programme is expensive, coming in at £299 without membership costs. The Lingo programme isn't as pricey, but you only wear the Biosensor for two weeks (unless you select the two-month programme) to understand the way your body reacts to certain foods. The FoodMarble AIRE 2 is probably the most cost-effective personalised nutrition test on this list.
The FoodMarble AIRE is also a good choice if you're not a fan of CGMs or needles. I've personally tested both the Zoe CGM and Lingo Biosensor and they're painless to apply. However, I understand how the thought can put some people off.
