In the modern world, diet is important. People are becoming much concerned about their health and wish to maintain a nutritious diet that helps them sustain their well-being. But the question arises: what is ‘healthy’?

On some days, the Paleo diet is proclaimed as the best thing for your body. On others, there is the Ketogenic diet that has become a trend rather quickly. It is incredible how many people jump on the bandwagon and claim that this is the best diet for your body.

While some diets are said to be beneficial on a day – eventually, they may be declared detrimental. Not only does this variation exist between specific diets, but it also exists in essential everyday foods that we consume regularly. Foods like eggs and coffee may be considered healthy today, but you could be reading a headline tomorrow that tells you to avoid them at all costs.

At this stage, consumers are confused. People find themselves in a dilemma regarding which diet to follow or who to listen to. But here is the unfortunate truth: each body is unique. The idea that a specified diet would be healthy for every human is biologically impossible – mainly since the way our food affects us differs on an individual level. Our genes, epigenome, and gut microbiome largely determine what type of diet is suitable for us. Some people burn carbohydrates efficiently and some fats as their body’s primary fuel source. Some people are sensitive to carbohydrates, some to fats, and some to proteins. Some are allergic to particular foods. Recently, through genetic testing, I found out that I am sensitive to carbohydrates. I then reduced carbohydrates in my diet, which worked wonders for my health.

There are many ways to change your diet and lifestyle to work more efficiently with what you have. To break free of this struggle to determine the best diet for ourselves, we turn towards technology. More specifically, we look towards artificial intelligence.

Artificial Intelligence

Technology has become an integral part of our survival as human beings. We are beginning to rely more on technological advancements to aid our existence with each passing day. As a result, societies are also evolving.

The latest type of modern technology that has integrated itself into human lives is artificial intelligence. With the widespread launch of smartphone applications such as Siri or Cortana, there is increased access towards the world of artificial intelligence.

But how does that impact or benefit us?

Well, with AI voice assistants around your home and your phones, there is so much that you can achieve. Most importantly, you could ask them a simple question: What should I eat?

AI and the Food Industry

Food is essential for human survival, and now, so is technology. The importance of AI in the food industry dates back to a few years ago when multinational companies such as IBM invested in using AI to create practical solutions for food-related problems.

For instance, IBM is actively involved in research that includes the use of AI to pair various ingredients to develop new flavors and recipes for people. This research could prove to be a significant breakthrough for the food industry – since creating an entirely new flavor can be considered both scientific and artistic. Since the process was too lengthy and too complicated for humans, IBM decided to leave all the work to artificial intelligence.

AI in the food industry has proven to be quite efficient. It can make quick calculations and analyses based on the data collected and make corresponding changes immediately.

By using AI to develop new flavors by identifying patterns and considering alternatives, there are many new avenues now ready to be explored. Lucky for us, that includes an individualized diet-plan or the AI diet.

The AI Diet

Artificial intelligence can be used to create a perfect algorithm that tells you what to eat. Since all of AI’s suggestions are based on research and calculations, there is no doubt in believing that an AI diet could help people become healthier and significantly reduce their risk of getting a disease.

But why do we need an AI diet? Don’t we already know the difference between healthy and unhealthy eating habits? The truth is, we don’t.

Dr. Eric Topol, a renowned cardiologist, participated in a 14-day experiment that involved tracking his dietary consumption, sleeping habits, and physical exercise. A sensor that tracked blood-glucose levels was provided, and a stool sample was also taken to assess his gut microbiome. After comparing his data with more than 1000 other participants’ input, AI was able to create a personalized healthy/unhealthy grading scale for him.

The results were anything but ordinary. The cheesecake was allocated an A grade in the sweets section, but whole-wheat fig bars were given a C. In fruits, strawberries were given an A+, while grapefruit was an unhealthy C. Apart from that, assorted nuts were given an A+ grade, but vegetable burgers had a C.

Despite being a health practitioner, the results contradicted his existing beliefs regarding healthy eating. While his current diet was somewhat healthy, according to him, consisting of veggie burgers and whole-wheat fig bars, his nutritional intake wasn’t actually healthy at all.

As a result of this research, he realized that he had been eating unhealthy for the majority of his life. To avoid glucose spikes in the future, he was required to make significant changes to his diet – including integrating cheesecake and strawberries.

The main takeaway from this research was that humans are vastly unaware of what is healthy or unhealthy for their bodies. However, AI can help you determine a diet plan that is individualized and suited to your own biology – something that differs significantly from popular beliefs regarding healthy eating.

AI and Dietary Habits: Initial Developments

To successfully program AI to determine our individualized diet plans, we must first know why such variance exists in the first place. In simpler terms, why is something healthy for me but unhealthy for you?

The first significant development regarding this area of research was made a few years ago at the Weizmann Institute of Science. A journal article titled “Personalized Nutrition by Prediction of Glycemic Responses” was published, including the research that the spike in blood glucose levels as a response to consuming certain foods is only one aspect of our individualized responses towards nutrition.

During this research, scientists made use of machine learning – a specialized branch of artificial intelligence that focuses on patterns. The goal was to determine the critical factor that drove the blood-glucose response towards food for each individual.

After analyzing billions of possible factors, the research was concluded with about a hundred factors that were actively involved in this glycemic response in humans. Instead of the key factor being food itself, it was actually concluded to be the gut bacteria – or microbiome.

As a result of this research, two conclusions were made. One that our microbiome is mainly responsible for our spike in blood glucose levels, and two, that this groundbreaking discovery was only made using AI.

For continued development, more research is underway to determine the different biological responses our bodies have towards the same kinds and amounts of food. The fascinating part, however, that all of these researches now include AI to analyze the large amount of data being collected and to reach evidence-based results.

The Importance of Biotechnology

In order to successfully generate all of these personalized AI diets we keep referring to, there needs to be a method of handling big data. This process requires many different technologies to be combined into one major development – something that is beyond the expertise of nutritionists or the food industry.

This brings us to the need for development in biotechnology – or the application of modern technology in the creation of individualized diets. AI diets require chunks of data on both life and diet habits, which comes together under the branch of biotechnology due to its close relationship with life sciences.

In simpler terms, the future of an AI diet could stand on the foundations of modern biotechnology. Since an effective AI mechanism to generate customized diet plans requires the filtering of fake data as well as the simultaneous processing of different information, biotechnology is the only branch of science that would be able to aid the process seamlessly.

The Problem with Fake Data

On the topic of how biotechnology aids the process of having an AI diet, it is also vital to understand what nutritional science lacks at the moment. While many people believe that our diet and health are interconnected, the connection is overly complicated.

Without using modern biotechnology or AI, it is nearly impossible to conduct randomized trials at large scales. Observing the effects of a specific diet may span for many years before any conclusion can be drawn – and such close adherence to a diet and tracking of behavior is rarely ever controlled.

As a result of these imperfect researches, there is a great deal of fake data available regarding dietary habits and nutrition. For instance, if you look at the oxalate quantities in different foods, the values you find will vary significantly from one source to another. The difference could be so vast that while one article would suggest a particular food to be great for your health, another would advise you to remove it from your diet altogether.

Our Diets Are Flawed: The Evidence

Before resorting to AI for customized diets, it is important to consider the various researches that have already concluded that our diets are extremely flawed. The main reason for the flaw, however, is the amount of fake data available to us regarding ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ eating habits.

Depending on which source we choose to follow, we could have a completely different belief system regarding the contents of certain foods. Consequently, we could be eating less or more of a certain food without having any concrete evidence regarding its effect on our body.

A 2017 study conducted in the US investigated the consumption of 10 specific foods in more than half a million people who died from heart disease. In the research, diets that consisted of salty foods and processed meats were considered to have adverse outcomes. A similar strategy was used for other kinds of foods as well.

With “convincing” evidence, the study concluded that 45% of the deaths were due to the ten dietary factors being researched. In simpler words, it was concluded that half of all deaths from heart disease are caused by a poor or unbalanced diet.

Similar studies related to diet and fatality have made conclusions such as that plant-based diets can lessen the chance of developing type 2 diabetes and that regular consumption of whole-grain foods can result in lower cases of heart disease or cancer.

However, there is a major flaw in all of these studies: the dependency on self-reporting. Participants may not have accurately reported their dietary and other habits, resulting in an influx of false information. Additionally, these researches also do not have any controls and fail to eliminate confounding factors such as socioeconomic environments or literacy rates.

Consequently, such researches that are low in reliability still make their way to the public in the form of media headlines or journal articles – thus impacting the kinds of diet, we consume. Depending upon the day, every type of food ends up labeled both helpful and harmful.

The Problem with a Fixed Diet

As a result of fake news that circulates based on flawed research, many problems arise with our typical fixed diet. The idea of collectively following a specific nutritional guideline is both biologically and physiologically flawed, especially since it fails to consider the individuality of each human body.

In all individuals, there are varying metabolisms, microbiome, and external environments that contribute towards their physiological reaction towards food. Despite consuming the same amount of the same food at the same time, it is possible and highly likely for two people to have varying biological reactions.

This can be attributed to many factors, including how our unique DNA can react to foods in varying manners.

Solving the Problem with Modern Biotechnology

Since our bodies react to foods in different ways, it can be useful to understand what aspects of our DNA differ and how the use of biotechnology with AI can help us find a solution to the problem.

1. Whole Genome Sequence Analysis

With modern biotechnology, science can analyze a person’s entire genome and further understand how specific genes are related to certain diseases. By analyzing the genetic composition of a person, it is possible to create a customized nutrition plan that is in accordance with their bodily functions and helps them avoid the instance of illness.

2. Nutrigenetics

Contrary to popular belief that the only way food impacts our bodies is through the nutrients it contains, modern biotechnology has now proven that food has a significant influence on DNA expressions that impact an individual’s health. With these technologies, it is possible to understand the varying health effects of consuming certain foods with relevance to genetic expressions – thus allowing AI to gather data and create customized dietary plans.

3. Proteomics

The tRNA signal transduction system in our body is greatly affected by the food we eat, which could result in certain proteomes being synthesized. Since these proteomes are essential for bodily functions such as growth and balance, the data collected through DNA expression can be used to determine healthier food choices.

4. Nutrigenomics

The genetic structure of each individual is different. While food impacts our genetic expression, our varying genetic structures also lead to different metabolomic reactions within the body. This nutrigenomic data is, therefore, necessary during the creation of smart, AI diets.

5. Metabolomics

While not causally related to food consumption, metabolomic data is still essential for the creation of AI diets since it allows for a deeper understanding of how overall lifestyle (sleep, exercise) impacts the health of an individual.

6. Microbiome

Multiple studies have concluded that the food we consume affects not only our gene expression but also the gut bacteria that live inside our bodies. While food does not change the DNA of gut bacteria, it does cause significant changes in the microbiome. This microbiome is related to both health and immunity – the two things that are the critical determinants for developing a good diet.

The Amalgamation of AI and What We Eat

In the present world, a popular food company was able to integrate AI with the food that is consumed by their customers. They introduced what is known as LIFEdata solutions that are meant to engage with customers throughout the day to develop healthy eating habits that are customized for the specific user.

The platform works by understanding the user’s lifestyle habits, external environment, motivational factors, and behavioral changes that go hand-in-hand with dietary habits. While it is not perfect, the platform currently has a mobile app that contains an entire database of nutritional data, varying recipes, and an integrated AI to provide smart suggestions.

The recommendations made to each user are based upon several self-reported data inputs, including common surveys and detailed medical histories. By combining all of this data with eating habits and physiological reactions, personalized recommendations are made regarding dietary habits for each individual user.

Important features of this app include a simple method of selection between the correct food consumption to teach smart eating habits to children and entire families – based on their current medical and food consumption data. By following the smart suggestions provided by the AI, people can easily prevent chronic illnesses and choose to consume food that is especially healthy for their bodies.

Apart from that, the app also includes a voice assistant that can help people find recipes according to what they have available in their kitchens, as well as a step-by-step guide for recipe preparation.

The Mechanism of AI-Guided Diet Plans

Similar to the practical example of an AI-based solution quoted above, the mechanism of an AI-guided diet plan would also rely on machine learning and data analytics. With a deep understanding of the users’ metabolic and digestive systems, the AI-based diet plan would be able to provide suggestions for ideal meals that would help your body rejuvenate.

This personalized diet plan is likely to contain the ability to save millions of lives per year. With diets that are specific to our bodily functions, preventing chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, or heart disease would become much simpler.

Additionally, since many people resort to strict diets to lose weight, an AI-based solution will be much more effective in that aspect as well. By making use of big data and biotechnology, the AI-based diet plan would have a 72% probability of helping you lose weight.

However, there is a critical downside to the use of AI-based diet plans that must be considered. Thousands of nutritionists across the globe may find themselves jobless if an AI-based diet plan system proves itself to be more efficient than these health practitioners. The likelihood of efficiency is extremely high in AI-based diet plans, especially since these machine learning systems will be able to process millions of bits of data within seconds – something that the human mind cannot independently achieve.

Nevertheless, there is still an opportunity for existing nutritionists to expand their skillset and familiarize themselves with the applications of AI in the nutritional world. This would allow them to help people understand how the AI-based diet plans work and enabling users to make the most efficient use of such applications.

AI and Nutrition: The Future

While there are some developments in the field of AI for the food industry, they are definitely far from perfect. There are many more research areas that are yet to be covered before any significant developments can be made for customized diets using modern biotechnology as well as the different branches of AI.

However, there is no denying the usefulness of integrating AI with nutrition. In fact, an individualized and tailored diet will be able to promote a healthy lifestyle and allow our virtual assistants to take on a more significant role in our lives.

While a majority of AI-related dietary plans are still in their initial development stages, it is safe to say that technological advancement is fast enough for us to be soon testing personalized diet plans for ourselves.

We cannot know for sure what the future will bring for the food industry, especially with biotechnology and AI on the line now. However, we are certainly on the path towards creating increased access to legitimate information regarding dietary habits and implementing significant lifestyle changes. Hopefully, with AI-based diets, we would all be able to live healthier, happier, and longer lives.

What is the Alternative to AI Diet?

Till the time everyone has easy access to AI diet, we can follow some simple, time-tested guidelines regarding our diet:

Avoid refined carbohydrates.

Avoid red meat.

Avoid sugary drinks and sodas.

Increase antioxidant-rich foods in the diet.

Increase intake of plant-based proteins.

Increase intake of green leafy vegetables and brightly colored fruits and vegetables.

Identify and avoid foods that you are allergic or sensitive to. In the next article, I will discuss various companies offering services related to whole genome sequencing, microbiome analysis, etc., and details of the longevity diets.