UK scientists have developed a urine test which can be used to gauge how healthy your meal is.
They are already hopeful that it can be applied in nutritional advice or in weight loss because in most cases, people find it hard to keep watch of their eating habits, reports BBC Health
The team responsible for this research holds that after two years, the test will be global.
In brief, the test involves analyzing urine samples so as to learn of the structure of the floating chemicals. The technique used in this analysis is referred to as proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
The information found from such analysis provides a clue on the most recent meals.
Health of your gut
Once your body processes fish, vegetables, fruit and various types of meat, there is usually a distinct signature left in your urine.
If the urine chemicals are investigated, it is possible to have a clue of the state of one’s body metabolism.
The Aberystwyth University, Newcastle University and Imperial College London were jointly involved in the development of this test.
“This will eventually provide a tool for personalised dietary monitoring to help maintain a healthy lifestyle. We’re not at the stage yet where the test can tell us a person ate 15 chips yesterday and two sausages, but it’s on the way,” said Dr Isabel Garcia-Perez, one of the researchers at Imperia.
The trial phase
As the test was being tried, close to 60% were either under or over report on their eating habits.
Prof Gary Frost, another scientist at Imperial, said this could be the first independent test of what people munch on at home.
While speaking to BBC News, he said that the test now makes it possible to determine if someone is living on a healthy diet or not.
Among the optimistic benefits of this new test is fighting against obesity and type 2 diabetes.
As highlighted by Prof Frost, one can use the test results to change their eating habits. Regular testing would be of great help.
As they conducted the trials, the scientists were able to differentiate between a healthy and unhealthy diet. 19 research participants were given four diets of varying degrees of healthiness. Their urines was then collected and sampled in the morning, afternoon and night.
As much as the research is still in its initial stages, it avails important ways to determine a patient’s diet as explained by Dr Des Walsh, from the UK Medical Research Council.