Naama Barak
November 3, 2020

It’s no secret that the most gratifying way to deal with high stress levels is to indulge in some serious comfort eating. But instead of reaching out for that mac and cheese, you could try out a nutrition bar that’s tailor-made to meet your unique cognitive needs.

Israeli nutrition startup myAir recently unveiled its plant-based snack bars, which contain botanical blends designed to ease stress.

These herbal extracts are individually chosen for each customer according to an online questionnaire that profiles customers’ cognitive and physiological responses to stress, such as respiration and sleep quality, tracked via smart watches.

“Our algorithm can analyze the data from each person’s specific mood and stress profile, then decide what formulation will provide them the best positive impact on their stress routine,” explains Rachel Yarcony, co-founder and joint CEO of myAir.

“But our expertise is in the ability to cross the cognitive data with individual physiological aspects. It’s a game-changer in personalized nutrition.”

myAir’s algorithm processes this data and then customizes a combination of vegan, gluten-free and kosher nut and fruit bars with a range of formulas that include botanical extracts such as sage, rosemary and hops. These, the company says, can counter the way stress affects each person, whether by improving sleep quality, sharpening focus, or reviving energy.

“Stress has many facets,” says Dovev Goldstein, the company’s other co-founder and joint CEO. “In our preliminary study, based on AI, we discovered that different consumers generally have different stress symptoms that are more dominant than the others.”

For example, Goldstein says, “stress affects me mainly in the mornings, so my energy levels and focus are decreased. My partner feels the stress at night and occasionally has problems getting fulfilling sleep. Each of us needs a personalized solution. This is where myAir has redefined the paradigm.”

The startup has $2 million in pre-seed investment from Tel-Aviv University Ventures, iAngels VC and Entrée Capital.

Yours truly took myAir’s online questionnaire, according to which she probably suffers from restlessness and muscle tension that could be combatted by consuming a “Calm Green” bar loaded with sage in the morning or during the day and a “Comfortable Blue” bar packed with rosemary in the afternoon or at night.

Delivery is available only in the United States. No need to stress out over shopping – the personalized combinations are available through a subscription service that delivers to your doorstep once a month. A monthly pack containing five bars of each comes to $39.99 plus shipping.

“Studies show that 75% of the population prefers to improve their quality of life by embracing a healthy diet rather than dosing up on prescribed medication,” said Yarcony, who formerly worked at Teva Pharmaceuticals, Nestlé, and Strauss Group.

“Meanwhile, 73 percent of adults snack to relax. Our concept effectively leverages AI technology to provide a simple-to-follow, tasty, customized nutritional solution to the global stress crisis.”

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