Supplements and Superfoods
The Nutrition supplement industry
is one of the fastest growing markets in the world producing around $32 billion
in revenue in 2012 as quoted by Forbes and is projected to double to $60
billion in 2021 according to the Nutritional Business Journal. The superfoods
market is also a growing industry as we all trend towards the drive to make
positive enhancements to our health through what we eat. The pursuit towards
maintaining a healthy lifestyle through controlling our intake of unhealthy
fats, sugars and salt, births the consumer demand for these particular types of
products. These new health enhancement products are merely the innovative
diversification of the health and wellbeing industry. The need to promote good
health coupled with the vanity of acquiring the aesthetically in physique are
all drivers for the growth of these alternative food markets.
Yet do we really have a true grasp
of the meaning of a supplement and superfood? Supplements in the world of
nutrition are foods that provide nutrients that would otherwise not be consumed
in sufficient quantities. They include food nutrients such as vitamins,
minerals, fatty acids, amino acids, fiber and protein. Their many functions
include boosting overall health and energy, immune support, reducing risk of
ill health and age related diseases, support of wound healing, improving
athletic performance and mental activity.
How astute are we when recognising
the signs of nutrient deficiency, thus prompting us to purchase the necessary
supplements, or do you like many take supplements to ensure deficiency doesn’t
occur? If this is the case how and when are you aware of possible toxicity from
certain supplements? For example how many of us take a fish oil supplement or a
multi vitamin even though we may have a healthy diet? Some may not know the implications
of taking a fish oil as we are regularly reminded that fish and fish oils serve
for us a highly important role in our healthy eating repertoire.
Many fish oils on the market
contain the popular omega 3, 6 and 9 essential fats .Termed essential as the body
is unable to make these particular omega fats. 3 and 6 in particular cannot be
made by the body, where as omega 9 can be made by the body in small quantities.
These fats are found in many food sources such as plants, seeds, nuts and their
oils as well as fish. However omega 3 and 6 have different effects within the body; omega
6 has pro inflammatory effects, and omega 3 anti inflammatory effects, but in the correct
proportions each work together to benefit and maintain good health. Problems arise where omega 6 rich
polyunsaturated vegetable fats, are used within the production of many if not
all processed foods made within the food industry. This naturally leads to the
blind over-consumption of this pro inflammatory fat, causing an imbalance
between the omega 3 and 6 equilibrium.
The term inflammation is used to
describe the physiological stress created within the body by its continual
chemical reactions that takes place to sustain living, but also includes the
environmental stresses we place on our bodies through our lifestyle habits such
as smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise or even excessive exercise. All these
factors play a role in increasing the rate of inflammation within the body and
its organs, amplifying the risk of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic
diseases e.g. obesity. The take home message is that inflammation increases the
signs of aging and disease onset.
Excessive intakes of omega 6 have
been seen to promote the inflammation process when over-consumed through high
intakes of processed food and exacerbated with supplementation. Omega 3 on the
other hand with its anti inflammatory capabilities works to reduce
inflammation. It has more of a protective effect over the physiological
stresses placed on the body thus working to reduce the proliferation of
inflammatory diseases. So, whenever purchasing your fish oils you have 2
choices, you can go for omega 3 only, or a product that has a higher proportion
of omega 3 to 6.
The same rings true for certain
vitamins and mineral that if consumed on top of a healthy diet can lead to
toxicity. Vitamins A, D, E and K are known as fat soluble vitamins, as they are
stored in fat and since fat is a substance that we unfortunately can’t shed as
quickly as we desire, this mean that
toxicity can develop. Other vitamins on the other hand are what we describe as
being water soluble, meaning that if high levels arise they are simply flushed
out of the body through our urine. So pay caution to the supplements you choose
to consume.
Nutrition supplementation for sport
as opposed to health takes on a completely different meaning, as
supplementation is based on sporting outcomes and maintaining high energy
expenditure for the continuation of rigorous training regimes and competition
performance. This would be an article within its own right as the sports nutrition
supplementation market is extremely vast and complex.
Superfoods are nutrient rich foods
that have large doses of minerals, vitamins, polyphenols, fiber, protein and
many other types of antioxidants and nutrients, that have health based
benefits. However the word superfood is more a marketing term, as there is no
legal definition of a superfood. Processed superfood products that claim to be
and packaged as such must be backed up with scientific evidence as this is EU
law. However this does not stop food brands conducting and financing their own
research to substantiate the health claims marketed on their products. Natural
food sources such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, oils, nuts and beans can be
labelled as superfoods as they are part of healthy diet, are known to aid to
good health, but more importantly may possess higher quantities of specific
nutrients.
Some of the most popular processed
super foods include spirulina nutrient rich blue green algae that claims to
have up to 70% more protein than beef, soybean and chicken and packed with
essential fats, vitamins and minerals. Cacao the purest form of chocolate is
high in antioxidants and magnesium, hemp derived from the cannabis plant is
high protein, fiber and essential and other good fats. Maca also known as
Peruvian ginseng is high in vitamins and minerals and boasts its activity in
the area of sexual function and wheatgrass which is a living source of
chlorophyll (which is present in all green leafy vegetables) contains all
minerals and vitamins supposedly known to man. These are but a few of the
popular superfoods on the market, all of which have branded the superfood
status, yet very little scientific evidence backing up their claimed beneficial
health activity.
This is not to say that there is
nothing behind their ability to aid to good health, on the contrary there are
many who swear by their positive effects and have done for many years. The issue is the grandeur of the claims made
by the food companies themselves and the superfood books and cook books that
follow, as an adjunct to financial company growth. We all know that healthy
natural non processed food sources allow us to maintain and sustain good
health. Therefore is there any real need
to fill our cupboards up with pills, powders and potions?
Comments
Post a Comment