Super Foods - Super Gimmicks

June 28, 2006 Functional Foods Health experts have advised a healthy diet for all Americans with plenty of fruits and vegetables and whole grains and limited amounts of fats, sugars and salt. Some foods seem to be better than others. Functional foods are foods that provide nutrition and added health benefits. Researchers have uncovered many examples of functional foods. Here is a list of some of them and their potential benefits: Oats. Oats are a good source of fiber. Clinical trials have shown a link between consumption of oats and a reduction in total and LDL cholesterol levels. Soy. There are several different types of soy products produced from the soybean. Soy is a good source of protein. It has been shown to lower total and LDL cholesterol levels. Some researchers say soy may also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, some types of cancer and osteoporosis. Psyllium. Psyllium is a type of soluble fiber found in plants. Clinical trials have found psyllium can reduce total and LDL cholesterol. Tomatoes. Tomatoes and tomato products contain lycopene, which has been linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer in men. Garlic. Garlic is an herb used for centuries in food preparation and for medicinal benefits. Some research suggests it may lower total and LDL cholesterol. Some people say garlic may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and may help fight infection. However, there is little adequate research to back these claims. Green tea. Green tea contains chemicals, called catechins. Some research suggests green tea may reduce the risk of some types of cancer. Cranberry juice. Cranberries contain proanthocyanidins. Cranberry juice causes urine to become more acidic. Research suggests the juice may help fight urinary tract infections. Wine and grapes. Grapes contain a chemical called resveratrol. Recent studies suggest wine, especially red wine, may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Fatty fish. Fatty fish contain omega-3 fatty acids. Research strongly suggests that regularly including fatty fish in the diet may reduce the risk of heart disease and heart attack death. Dairy Products. Dairy products are an important source of calcium, a nutrient thats important for bone health. Adequate consumption of calcium may reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Some research also suggests fermented dairy products (like yogurt) may improve the balance of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. Looking Past the Hype The FDA currently allows manufacturers to make certain health claims on food packages. However, sometimes those claims become somewhat "stretched" to lure a customer into a purchase. For example, a manufacturer may claim a product is rich in vitamin "C" - without any direct health claim - but having an implied claim the product may somehow improve health or well being. Tom Cooley, R.D., Nutrition Expert with Temple University, says consumers who are trying to be health conscious may find themselves choosing products for the wrong reasons. A juice, for example, may be labeled as having vitamin C. Yet, when looking at the actual nutrition label, the amount of vitamin C is minimal. In order to get the recommended daily amount of vitamin C, a person may have to drink several glasses of the juice. That may also mean taking in a lot of extra sugar and calories. Even a so-called "nutritional" snack bar can be filled with sugar, calories and fats. Cooley is worried that consumers may be so "health concerned" that they blindly follow advertising without taking a hard look at what they are eating. He recommends consumers become regular "label readers" to look at whats really inside a package. Some of the worst offenders are the packed food products, some of which have added ingredients to make them appear to be healthy foods. But a product that contains one "healthy" ingredient may also contain a lot of other ingredients that arent very healthy. Look at how much of that ingredient is actually in the package. Manufacturers are required to list food ingredients in descending order of weight, with the largest ingredient at the beginning of the list and the smallest at the end. Cooley says the best way to get nutrients is through their natural state (i.e., the nutrients are naturally in the food rather than added during manufacturing). He recommends whole grains, fruits and vegetables and in limited amounts, dairy and meats. In most grocery stores, those foods are usually located around the perimeter of the building. People who are concerned they may not be getting enough nutrients can take a multivitamin to supplement a healthy diet. In addition, regular exercise and an ideal body weight are important components of a healthy lifestyle. AUDIENCE INQUIRY For information on reading a food label, http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/label.html For general information on healthy eating and super foods and government regulation: American Dietetic Association, http://www.eatright.org Food and Drug Administration, http://www.fda.gov International Food Information Council, http://www.ific.org BIBLIOGRAPHY Arvanitoyannis, I., and M. Van-Houwelingen-Koukaliaroglou, "Functional Foods," Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 2005, Vol. 45, No. 5, pp. 385-404. Atkinson, C., et al., "Enhancing Beneficial Antioxidants in Fruits," Biofactors, 2005, Vol. 23, No. 4, pp. 229-234. "Background on Functional Foods," Washington, DC: International Food Information Council, downloaded from website (http://www.ific.org), May 18, 2006. Cameron, Glen, and Mugur Geana, "Functional Foods," Journal of Nutrition, May 2005, Vol. 135, No. 5, pp. 1253-1555. Canene-Adams, Kirstie, et al., "The Tomato as a Functional Food," Journal of Nutrition, May 2005, Vol. 135, No. 5, pp. 1226-1230. Castro, Inar, et al., "Functional Foods for Coronary Heart Disease Risk Reduction," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, July 2005, Vol. 82, No. 1, pp. 32-40. "Functional Foods," Chicago: American Dietetic Association, downloaded from website (http://www.eatright.org), May 18, 2006. "Health Claims for Functional Foods," British Medical Journal, January 24, 2004, Vol. 328, No. 7433, pp. 180-181. Jeffrey, Elizabeth, "Component Interactions for Efficacy of Functional Foods," Journal of Nutrition, May 2005, Vol. 135, No. 5, pp. 1223-1225. Jones, Peter, "Clinical Nutrition: 7. Functional Foods - More than Just Nutrition," Canadian Medical Association Journal, June 11, 2002, Vol. 166, No. 12, pp. 1555-1563. Marquart, Len, et al., "Whole Grain Health Claims in the USA and Other Efforts to Increase Whole-grain Consumption," Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, February 2003, Vol. 62, No. 1, pp. 151-160. Roccardi, G., et al., "Functional Foods in the Management of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes," Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, November 2005, Vol. 8, No. 6, pp. 630-635. Rowlands, J., and J. Hoadley, "FDA Perspectives on Health Claims for Food Labels," Toxicology, April 3, 2006, Vol. 221, No. 1, pp. 35-43. Salminen, Seppo, et al., "Probiotics That Modify Disease Risk," Journal of Nutrition, May 2005, Vol. 135, No. 5, pp. 1294-1298. Turner, R. Elaine, Ph.D., et al., "Label Claims for Foods and Supplements," Nutrition in Clinical Practice, February 20, 2005, Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 21-32. Williams, Peter, Ph.D., "Consumer Understanding and Use of Health Claims for Foods," Nutrition Reviews, July 2005, Vol. 63, No. 7, pp. 256-264. Research compiled and edited by Barbara J. Fister