On October 22, the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois hosted a special informational presentation featuring Dr. Alfredo Galvez, chief scientific advisor at SL Technology, a Reliv company. During his visit Dr. Galvez had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Elvira de Mejia, UI Professor and leading food science researcher. The video above features highlights from their discussion.
The University of Illinois has been a hub for research identifying the health benefits of bioactive food components, with a strong emphasis on the lunasin peptide. Over the last decade, Dr. de Mejia has contributed to more than 23 published papers validating the presence, bioavailability and biological activity of lunasin. According to a recent study led by de Mejia, lunasin works in the body to protect cells by reducing the negative effects of oxidative stress and by regulating the body’s inflammatory response. These mechanisms suggest lunasin may offer long-term cell protection when consumed regularly.
“Lunasin is an extraordinary nutritional compound with solid clinical data behind it,” said Galvez. “Its proven ability to work at the epigenetic level explains its wide-ranging health benefits and offers the opportunity to transform the way we look at nutrition and health care. It was a privilege to discuss the science behind lunasin with my colleagues at the University of Illinois, whose pioneering work has been instrumental in advancing the field of nutritional epigenetics.”
Accidental Discovery, Big Benefits
Dr. Galvez first discovered lunasin in 1996 during research at UC Berkley to improve the nutritional profile of soy protein. More than 80 peer-reviewed and published studies from more than 30 research institutions — including important work at the University of Illinois — have documented lunasin’s health benefits, which include:
- Cholesterol management
- Inflammation reduction
- Antioxidant benefits
- Improved immunity
- Overall cellular health
Learn more about the benefits of lunasin.