In one way or another, we’ve all been there. Maybe it’s sea sickness on a summer boat expedition, or maybe it’s just a brutal hangover from your tequila bender last night. Either way, when it comes to common ailments, nausea is no doubt one of the most unpleasant, and in terms of preventing—or finding a cure for—the symptoms, your options are limited. One Cambridge startup is addressing the issue in an innovative way: through food. Real Food Solutions, which consists of MIT, Harvard and Tufts grads, is leveraging clinical research to develop food products that combat common ailments. And its first product, Anchor Nutrition Bar, is designed to prevent and alleviate nausea from motion sickness, morning sickness, and even hangovers. Already, the bar is being sold on boats and in a slew of stores across the U.S.—including the national Bass Pro Shops chain.
The idea for the patent-pending bar came about when MIT Sloan alum Neheet Trivedi’s sister became pregnant with her first child, and began experiencing extreme morning sickness. Her symptoms were so bad that she was unable to go to work, and eventually lost her job. Trivedi, who says he has always been passionate about and interested in food supply, agriculture and sustainability, knew there has to be a way to address this through nutrition. After meeting with a number of researchers and experts, he founded Real Food Solutions in June 2014. A prototype for the first product was completed by September, and it was formulated by an MD—Rupa Mukherjee—based on scientific research that links protein, ginger and vitamins (in particular B6) to nausea relief. Mukherjee, a practicing gastroenterology specialist, completed her residency at Yale and finished her GI training at Columbia and Harvard, and is now the company's medical advisor.
“What we quickly saw was that there was an opportunity to help more than just people with morning sickness,” Trivedi told BostInno.
Perfecting the recipe
The Anchor Nutrition Bar officially launched in May, but the team had been testing it out since last fall, tweaking the ingredients according to the feedback they were receiving. For example, Trivedi says many pregnant women didn’t want soy, so they eliminated it from the bar. There were also concerns about added sugars as well as artificial sweeteners/sugar alcohols (like aspartame), so the team ensured the Anchor Nutrition Bar had neither.
The final product is 190 calories with just 3 grams of fat, and packs a whopping 20 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber. In a study conducted on two separate boats, more than 73 percent of participants (26 out of 32) said the Anchor Nutrition Bar effectively prevented and/or relieved their queasiness. According to the company, the effects of the bar can be felt within 15 to 30 minutes, and last two to three hours.
Mike Iapicca, food and beverage manager for Boston Harbor Cruises, claims the bar has been a great addition on the company's whale viewing tours. The product "provides our customers relief to any seasickness or nausea they might experience during their trip," he said.
An advantageous alternative
In a study conducted on two separate boats, more than 73 percent of participants said the Anchor Nutrition Bar effectively prevented and/or relieved their queasiness.
Trivedi pointed out that there are a number of benefits to the Anchor bar over traditional medication for nausea. For one, drowsiness, dry mouth and dizziness are common side effects for these meds. Not to mention, you often can’t drink alcohol when you’re taking them—talk about a bummer if you’re heading out on a boat party. While there are prescription medications to help with morning sickness, Trivedi noted that many women prefer to avoid taking any drugs while pregnant. Another major perk is that you don’t have to worry about how the Anchor bar will interact with any other medications you’re taking.
Real Food Solutions, which is bootstrapped to date, received a scholarship from Cydan, a Cambridge firm that invests in life sciences, and is now a finalist participating in MassChallenge. Additionally, the startup was recently selected to be featured on Amazon through its Launchpad program. Trivedi says that they are looking to raise a seed or angel round of funding to fuel growth in the coming months. Right now, there are three on the core team with several others contributing part time. Real Food Solutions is actively recruiting to bring on a couple others for sales, marketing and operations—and specifically is looking for individuals in a two-year associate’s or community college program.
“We’ve gotten great feedback from initial customer segment,” says Trivedi. “Now we want to spread the word more widely.”
That means looking to expand into new sales channels, which could include pharmacies, grocery and natural foods stores, or more sporting goods stores, as well as boating, cruise and air travel companies. Essentially, they’re targeting anywhere someone might typically need—or seek—nausea relief.
But that’s not all Real Food Solutions has in the pipeline. The team is also currently conducting research on food ingredients to combat other ailments — in particular, common digestive problems.
All photos provided by Real Food Solutions.
