Backed By more than a decade of independent scientific research
Backed By more than a decade of independent scientific research
Mankai is one of the most extensively studied whole-food plants in the world. Over the past decade, researchers have investigated its unique nutritional composition, nutrient bioavailability, and potential role in supporting human health through a growing body of independent scientific research.
Today, the evidence includes more than 24 peer-reviewed scientific publications, including 10 human clinical trials, as well as preclinical and mechanistic studies. This research has been independently designed, conducted, and published by leading academic and medical institutions, including Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Arizona State University, Sheba Medical Centre, the Weizmann Institute of Science, the University of California, Davis, and Leipzig University, among others.
Researchers have explored Mankai from multiple perspectives. Some studies have focused on the plant itself, examining its nutritional composition, naturally occurring nutrients, nutrient bioavailability, and potential role in human nutrition. Others have evaluated Mankai as a key component of the Green Mediterranean Diet, where it served as a daily source of polyphenols and whole-food plant nutrition.
Among the landmark studies is the 18-month DIRECT PLUS clinical trial, conducted by researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Nearly 300 participants followed either a traditional Mediterranean diet or a Green Mediterranean diet enriched with Mankai. The findings generated numerous follow-up publications investigating Mankai's potential role in supporting healthy metabolism, liver health, cardiovascular health, brain health, cardiovascular function, and the gut microbiome.
The research presented on this page has been independently designed, conducted, and published by external scientists and academic institutions.
Together, this growing body of evidence continues to expand our understanding of how whole-food nutrition - and Mankai in particular - may contribute to healthy nutrition as part of a balanced diet.
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Iron That Can Be Absorbed and Used by the Body
Published results of an 18-month clinical study revealed that participants following the Green-Mediterranean Diet — which included reduced consumption of animal-based foods and a daily Mankai shake — maintained significantly higher and more stable iron status indicators (hemoglobin, plasma iron and transferrin) compared to the other study groups. Complementary preclinical research in a rat model found improvements in markers of anemia following Mankai supplementation.Published in The Journal of Nutrition
Vitamin B12: Bioactive and Bioavailable
Studies have shown that Mankai, as opposed to other plants, is a natural source of vitamin B12 in all three of its active forms. Additional studies demonstrated that Mankai’s vitamin B12 is highly bioavailable, with daily consumption leading to increased blood B12 levels, even in individuals who consume less animal-based foods.*
Moreover, a focused study using an artificial intestine model found that Mankai consumption significantly boosts the abundance of gut microbiota involved in vitamin B12 absorption, offering one potential explanation for its high bioavailability.
Published in Nutrients
*One 5g serving of Mankai provides approximately 8% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin B12 and is not considered a good source of vitamin B12.
A Plant with a Complete Amino Acid Profile
Over 40% of Mankai's dry matter is made up of protein, including all nine essential amino acids that make up a complete protein. Researchers also found that its amino acid profile was similar to egg protein and that its protein digestibility was high and comparable to white cheese*.
According to this report, Mankai’s high-quality complete protein can be an alternative to animal-based protein.
Published in Clinical Nutrition.
*One 5g serving of Mankai provides approximately 4% of the Daily Value (DV) for protein and is not considered a good source of protein.
A Natural Way to Support Healthy Folate Levels
Folate is an essential B vitamin that supports healthy cell growth, DNA synthesis, and red blood cell formation. In the 18-month DIRECT PLUS clinical trial, participants following a Green Mediterranean diet that included a daily Mankai shake experienced significantly greater increases in blood folate levels than those following either a traditional Mediterranean diet or standard healthy dietary guidelines. Researchers also found that higher Mankai intake was associated with greater increases in folate status, highlighting Mankai as a natural, food-based source of folate when consumed as part of a healthy dietary pattern.
Published in Clinical Nutrition and Current Developments in Nutrition
Supporting Post-Meal Blood Sugar Responses
A dedicated clinical study examined the impact of Mankai on blood sugar levels. The results demonstrated that daily Mankai consumption helps maintain balanced blood glucose levels throughout the day, while enhancing insulin sensitivity. Participants also reported greater feelings of fullness after consuming the Mankai-containing shake used in this study.
Published in Diabetes Care
Supporting Blood Sugar Levels in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
The benefits of Mankai have also been studied in people with type 2 diabetes. In a clinical trial conducted by researchers at Sheba Medical Center and Ben-Gurion University, participants who consumed Mankai as part of a meal experienced a 19.3% lower post-meal blood sugar response compared with the control meal.
The study was published in Diabetes ,Obesity and Metabolism
Exploring Mankai's Role in the Gut Microbiome
Researchers evaluated changes in the gut microbiome among participants following a Green Mediterranean diet including Mankai. The study found that this dietary pattern was associated with beneficial changes in gut microbiome composition. These changes were also associated with maintenance of weight loss achieved during the first six months of the intervention and with maintaining balanced blood glucose levels.
Intrigued by the clinical trial results, a follow-up study using an artificial intestine model further explored how Mankai interacts with the gut microbiota. The researchers found that Mankai contains at least 200 different phenolic compounds, and that it selectively modulates gut microbial composition as these components are metabolized into short chain fatty acids and smaller phenolic acids. These microbial-derived metabolites act as key signaling molecules that help regulate host metabolic and inflammatory pathways, offering a plausible biological mechanism for the findings observed in the clinical study.
Published in Gastroenterology, Journal of Functional Foods, Nutrients, and European Journal of Internal Medicine.
Research on Age-Related Brain Changes
Two published studies examined the effect of Mankai as part of a Green Mediterranean diet — which included reduced consumption of animal-based foods and a daily Mankai shake — on age-related brain atrophy in participants with an average age of 50 years. MRI analysis over the 18-month study period revealed that the Green Mediterranean Diet significantly slowed age-related brain atrophy and was associated with brain aging approximately 3 years younger than expected.
Published in two articles: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (May 2022), The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (November 2024), Clinical Nutrition, and eLife.
Heart Health: What the Research Shows
In a six-month clinical study involving 300 participants, researchers compared a Western diet, a traditional Mediterranean diet, and a Green Mediterranean diet (which included reduced consumption of animal-based foods and a daily Mankai shake). Participants following the Green Mediterranean diet including Mankai experienced improvements in several cardiometabolic markers including LDL cholesterol, the HDL-to-LDL ratio, and blood pressure, compared with the other dietary groups.
This study was also the first to demonstrate the impact of a Green Mediterranean diet including Mankai on aortic stiffness, which is a marker of vascular health. Participants following this eating pattern experienced approximately twice the reduction in proximal aortic stiffness compared with those following the traditional Mediterranean diet. Improvements in proximal aortic stiffness were also correlated with improvements in fasting glucose levels, suggesting a link between metabolic and cardiovascular health.
Published in HEART and JACC (Journal of the American College of Cardiology)
Research on Liver and Visceral (Belly) Fat
The 18-month clinical study found that participants following a Green Mediterranean diet with Mankai experienced significant reductions in liver fat and visceral fat (fat stored around the abdominal organs):
Liver Fat: Participants following the Green Mediterranean diet with Mankai achieved a 39% reduction in liver fat, which is approximately twice the reduction observed with the traditional Mediterranean diet and triple than that seen with healthy guidelines alone. Researchers suggested these findings may have implications for improving liver health.
Visceral (Belly) Fat: Participants also experienced double the reductions in visceral fat than those following healthy dietary guidelines. Researchers also observed that individuals who consumed Mankai more frequently tended to experience greater reductions in visceral fat, with those consuming it three or more times per week experiencing a 26% reduction.
Published in GUT, BMC Medicine, and The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism