DNA testing is often linked to finding out who the biological father of a child is or to criminal investigations. Although DNA testing has only been around since the mid-1980s, it has come on in leaps and bounds.
There are so many different things that you can find out through DNA tests. While they are very important for police departments and to confirm blood relations, did you know that DNA can be used for other purposes too?
Over the last two decades, ancestry DNA testing has become popular with many people. It is a great way to find out your ancestral history and the countries your ancestors originated from. While this is not an essential test, it is fun to find out or to give someone as a present.
Did you know that your DNA can also help with your overall health too?
The majority of people do not realize that DNA can help to identify certain health issues or vitamin deficiencies. If you are worried about potential food intolerances or want to improve your overall lifestyle, a health DNA test would be a great option.
In this article, we will be talking you through everything you should know about health-related DNA tests. We will be focusing on one company in particular who specializes in this, GenoPalate. We will be taking a look at all of the health tests they have to offer and how accurate they are.
We hope that this article will find a DNA test to suit your palate!
What Is A DNA Health Test?
A DNA health test will test your DNA to help detect certain health issues. These health problems could include things such as nutritional health and food intolerances.
These tests work by looking at your genetic markers. These genetic markers help to identify some illnesses and intolerances. Companies will use a combination of genetic results and research to help determine the results of the DNA test.
A lot of evidence-based research is used and the results provided are mainly reliable.
Everyone tends to have variations in their genomes which can cause how a body is affected. Looking into a person’s genomes can discover a lot. While there may be only the smallest of differences, these can be significant.
Should I Have A Health DNA Test?
Whether or not you choose to have a health DNA test is completely up to you. It is not compulsory, but it can drastically improve your overall quality of life. If you are someone that is looking to improve their health, one of these DNA tests is a step in the right direction.
If your body reacts negatively after eating certain foods and you are unsure of what food causes you to feel ill, a health DNA test can often help to find the root of the problem.
As a whole, they are a useful test to have. When you receive your results they will help you to adjust your lifestyle and eating habits accordingly.
Who Is GenoPalate?
GenoPalate is a company that focuses specifically on Health DNA tests. While many other DNA companies offer this service, GenoPalate specializes in this.
GenoPalate is a US company, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They use data and nutritional intelligence as the basis of the company. They have an ever-growing proprietary database that helps to improve their customer’s health. They were founded in 2016 and are a fairly new company.
They focus on helping to change people’s outlook on their overall diet and nutrition. GenoPalate aims to encourage people to make healthier choices for their bodies so that they can have the best quality of life.
GenoPalate realizes that there is not one specific way to improve a person’s health. Everyone is completely different and each body responds differently. Given this, they aim to provide personal results through DNA data. The data received from the DNA can help to discover areas that need to be addressed for an individual.
Although GenoPalate focuses on genetics, they also take into consideration environmental and personal factors as these can impact a person’s overall health.
They are a company that is deep-rooted in research and is more than happy to change their outlook based on new findings. They keep up to date with the latest research results to provide their customers with the best possible service.
DNA Tests Available With GenoPalate
There are several different DNA tests that GenoPalate has to offer.
While they are all fairly similar, they do have some differences. In this section, we will be taking a look at these 4 DNA tests.
DNA Kit
The standard DNA kit is one of GenoPalate’s most popular choices. The DNA sample that is sent in for this test is tested in GenoPalate’s CLIA certified laboratory. When choosing a company they must have reputable and certified laboratories.
This DNA kit test includes a wide overview of your genetics and how they impact your health. In addition to this, the results you receive are tailored towards you specifically.
Here is everything that is included with the DNA Kit:
Genetic Needs For 23 Nutrients
This part of the DNA test will take your genetic results and compare them to the nutritional composition of many different foods. The recommendations you receive will cover the best types of food you can eat for your nutritional needs.
It uses food that will benefit you the most, for example, whether you need food that is high in potassium or food that is low in fat. This is particularly useful if you are unsure of the types of foods that can help benefit you overall.
It will let you know your optimal intake for the 23 different nutrients. These include things such as proteins, carbohydrates, vitamin B12, and other essential vitamins. Your body must receive enough nutrients for it to function efficiently and avoid deficiencies.
The 100+ Best Foods For You
Included with your results you receive a list of the best foods for you. This is personalized to you specifically and it includes a wide variety of different food. Some of these can include:
- Specific fruits and vegetables
- Fats & oils
- Cheeses
- Kinds of milk
- Fresh herbs
- Meats
- Seafood
The list will cover all of the 16 different food categories to help you maintain a healthy and balanced diet.
Lactose & Gluten Sensitivity Likelihood
If you have gluten and lactose sensitivity this can cause several different health problems. Some of these problems include excessive gas, bloating, stomach, and digestive issues. It can be uncomfortable to live with daily, especially if you are unsure of the cause.
What is great about this test is that it will help you to discover these issues so you know whether or not you will need to avoid food that contains lactose and gluten.
Alcohol & Caffeine Metabolism Rate
The majority of people will consume either alcohol, caffeine, or both fairly regularly. Both of these can affect the body and its metabolism rate. This test will help to identify what your metabolism rate is for both alcohol and caffeine.
As you can see, this DNA test covers a lot in terms of your overall nutritional health. In terms of the price, this DNA test is reasonable. While it may not be the cheapest on the market, given that GenoPalate specialise in Health DNA testing and the results you receive, it is worth the money.
DNA Kit + 5 Recipes
Alongside purchasing the DNA alone, GenoPalate does give you the option of purchasing five recipes alongside the test. By choosing this option you will receive everything that is included above. In addition to this, you will be sent 5 recipes tailored to you specifically.
When you purchase this option you will need to choose the type of recipes you would like to receive. GeneoPalate gives you a range of meal options, such as:
- 1 breakfast, 2 lunch, and 2 dinner
- 2 breakfast, 1 lunch, and 2 dinner
- 2 lunch and 3 dinner
- 3 lunch and 2 dinner
You can tailor the meals you want to receive according to your personal preferences.
In addition to this, GenoPalate offer meals for the following diet types:
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-Free
- Pescatarian
- Dairy-free
- Diabetic-friendly
- Heart friendly
If you have a specific diet, your needs can still be met with this plan.
Genepalate also gives you the option of choosing your favorite types of cuisine, such as Indian, Chinese, and Italian. This allows you to have a variety of different recipes while still eating the foods that you love.
In addition to this, you will also need to note any allergies and your food preferences, such as soups, pasta, and salads.
If you want to kickstart healthy eating or eat foods that are more suited to your metabolism, this option is great. It is slightly more expensive in comparison to the standard kit.
Existing DNA
A great feature of Genopalate health tests is that if you have already untaken a DNA test with 23andMe or AncestryDNA, you can send off these test results to Genopalate instead of paying for a new DNA test.
As the costs of a DNA test are not incorporated into the price, the test is significantly less expensive. Uploading the results is easy and just requires you to input them online.
Everything that is included in the standard kit is included with this product, apart from the DNA test.
Existing DNA + 5 Recipes
As with the Existing DNA Test, you can use your results from the 23andMe test with this pack.
In addition to this, the test will also come with the 5 recipes and everything included in the recipe pack too.
Taking The Swab Sample
Taking the swab sample is simple. If you are not uploading existing DNA test results, you will be sent a swab kit through the post.
You will need to obtain a swab DNA sample from your mouth and send it to the laboratory for testing.
Sending Off The Swab Sample
Sending off the swab sample is simple and is included in the price of the DNA test and results. You place the sample into the envelope provided to send it to the laboratory.
Waiting Period
The waiting period differs depending on the option you chose. If you have used the testing kit and have sent off the DNA sample, you will be waiting around 4-6 weeks to receive your results.
However, if you have uploaded existing DNA results, the process is a lot quicker. Typically these results will arrive with you in around 1-3 weeks as you do not have to wait for the third-party laboratory to test your DNA.
Results
All of the results, including any recipes you purchase, are contained in a PDF. When you register to receive a DNA test you will have access to the GenoPalate website where you can access and download your results.
The results you receive will explain everything in detail. If you are new to nutritional health, it provides you with a crash course of everything you will need to know to understand what your results mean.
Accuracy
The accuracy of the GenoPalate tests is good. However, as with any type of DNA test, it does come with its limitations.
For example, the company states that they cannot guarantee weight loss through their tests and recipes. In addition to this, there are many allergies that they cannot test for because they are not caused by genetic factors.
GenoPalate aims to be as accurate as possible in the results and recommendations they provide. In addition to this, their research is firmly rooted in scientific research.
Additional Services
In addition to the Health DNA Tests, GenoPalate does offer additional services too.
You can choose to order three or five recipe ideas on their website any time after taking your DNA test. In addition to this, if you are lacking in certain vitamins, GenoPalate creates supplements tailored to you and your DNA to help your overall health and wellbeing.
Cost
When looking at the costs of the GenoPalate DNA tests, they are not the cheapest on the market, but they are reasonably priced. When you consider that they specialize in health DNA and have put a vast amount of research into their tests and results, they can be relied upon.
If your health and wellbeing is something that you want to take seriously, they are certainly a company worth considering.
Benefits of Choosing GenoPalate?
The biggest benefit of choosing GenoPalate is that they are a company that specializes in health DNA tests. They are experts in their field and have put a lot of time and research into providing the best results possible.
Their recipes are not generic, they are specifically tailored to you. This personalization allows you to get the most out of your DNA test. With some other health DNA tests, they are likely to provide more of an overview of your results instead of the personalization GenoPalate offers.
Ease Of Use
Overall, Genopalate DNA tests are easy to use. The swab is sent swiftly and is easy to obtain the sample. There are instructions to talk you through the process. Given that you can upload existing data allows for a quicker process too.
The results are all explained in detail so you will not have to worry about having a pre understanding of what they mean. GenoPalate explains the results in a way that is simple and accessible.
All of the DNA kits come with free shipping. This means that you do not have to worry about any additional or hidden costs.
Data Protection And Confidentiality
GenoPalate is a company that knows how important data protection and confidentiality is. Given this, all of the information that they obtain is carefully stored and their top priority is to ensure that your data is safe and secure at all times.
In addition to this, your data cannot be traced back to you when it is in their database and remains anonymous. You will be reassured to know that all of the data and information that GenoPalate collects about you is completely disposed of after your analysis has been processed and sent to you.
Naturally, data protection and security is an important thing to consider, so it is good that GenoPalate takes this seriously.
Summary
To summarise, GenoPalate is a great company to consider if you want to learn more about your overall health and how your DNA affects it.
It is a great way to find out if you have intolerances to gluten or lactose. If you have vitamin deficiencies, GenoPalate can help to spot this and suggest foods rich in the nutrients you need.
The recipes they offer are tailored to you specifically and the report of the 100 foods that are good for you is a great starting place to improve your diet and lifestyle.
While these DNA tests are not essential they are a great way to kickstart your health journey. The company is deep-rooted in research and analysis.
Given this, they provide as accurate results as possible and test your DNA using certified laboratories. The option to upload existing DNA data is great and will also save you money.
Overall these tests are reasonably priced and provide detailed results in your report. If you are interested in finding out some more information about GenoPalate or would like to purchase one of their Health DNA kits, you can do so via their website here.