Wellness Foods - February 2008 - (Page 10)

Cover Story vitamin D, vitamin K2, calcium, Co-Q10, curcumin, daidzein, epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate cancer by 44 percent, according to a recent Swedish study. But folate also regulates calcium, making it a boon for heart health as well. Nuts, a folate source, are a macroingredient processors find extremely versatile in formulating hearthealthy products. A recent study from the University of Toronto found diets that includes almonds not only lower cholesterol, as proven in numerous almond and other nut studies, but also C-reactive protein levels – key markers of inflammation and an independent risk factor for heart disease. In addition to its high antioxidant content, 1 oz. of almonds is an excellent source of vitamin E and magnesium, and a good source of protein, fiber, monounsaturated fat, potassium, calcium, phosphorous and iron – all of which contribute to a hearthealthy profile. Plant sterols, (phytosterols), are associated with lower LDL cholesterol (considered a primary factor in heart disease) without affecting HDL cholesterol levels. This is because fat-soluble plant sterol esters (“stanols”) compete with cholesterol for uptake. The FDA has approved the following food health claim for phytosterols: “Foods containing at least 0.65g per serving of stanols or 0.4g of plant sterols, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily intake of at least 1.3g of plant sterols or 0.8g of stanols as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.” ADM Co. (www.admworld.com), Decatur, Ill., offers its CardioAid plant sterols for a wide variety of applications, from spreads and dressings to beverages, bars and baked goods. To qualify for FDA’s health claim, foods and beverages must contain at least 800mg of sterols per serving. Unilever (www.unilever.com), Englewood More on the Web There’s a lot more on heart and women’s health at WellnessFoodsOnline and FoodProcessing.com – more than 300 articles, news items and products. Check out these three first: “Heart Health, Naturally” www.foodprocessing. com/articles/2007/048.html “Eating Away at Cholesterol” www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2007/173.html “Menopause’s Nutrition Equation” www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2006/108.html Minneapolis-based Cargill Inc. (www. cargill.com) has two beverage blend product concepts combining calcium with its Oliggo-Fiber brand of inulin. Cliffs, N.J., addressed this issue with Promise Activ SuperShots yogurtlike drink. Each 3-oz. shot delivers 2g of plant sterols. Ingredient makers are witnessing an increased interest in phytosterols, polyphenols and probiotics for heart health. Probiotics, by helping increase friendly gut flora are believed to help manage cholesterol metabolism. Manufacturers have been including probiotics in yogurt and other dairy products for several years, but recently they successfully jumped to bars, cereals and chocolate confections. The Dannon Activia yogurt product line, by Groupe Danone (www.danone.com), Paris, is one particularly successful example, showing double-digit sales increases for two years and billions of dollars in worldwide sales. Polyphenols act as antioxidants to protect cells and body chemicals against free radicals damage. One of the reasons olive oil is heart healthy is because it contains polyphenols. Olive oil is part of the Mediterranean diet. “The Mediterranean Diet is perfect for women,” says Sara Baer-Sinnott, executive vice president of Oldways Preservation Trust (www.oldwayspt.org), the Boston food-issues think tank. “It’s time-tested, and numerous studies confirm its healthfulness in terms of longevity and disease prevention.” Regulatory Update: Soy Heart Health Claim Redux by Leslie Krasny Health claims characterize the relationship of a substance to a disease or health-related condition and require prior FDA approval or notification to FDA of authoritative status. An unqualified health claim must be based on significant scientific agreement. On Dec. 21, 2007, FDA published a notice seeking public comment on plans to re-evaluate the scientific evidence for the health claim on soy protein and risk of coronary heart disease (21 CFR 101.82) that was authorized in 1999. A model statement for this health claim is: “Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 25g of soy protein a day may reduce the risk of heart disease. One serving of [name of food] provides __g of soy protein.” Since the health claim was authorized, numerous studies have investigated the relationship between soy protein and coronary heart disease, but the findings have been inconsistent. It is unclear, for example, whether a small beneficial effect on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol observed in studies was due to soy protein or to other types of soy products. FDA intends to assess relevant data to determine whether the totality of the scientific evidence continues to meet the significant scientific agreement standard. If not, FDA would publish its findings and solicit comments on a proposed change to this heart health claim. – Leslie Krasny is an attorney and microbiologist for the San Francisco law firm Keller and Heckman LLP. For more on soy and health claims, turn to “Expert Opinion,” page 22.) 10 | February 2008 www.wellnessfoodsonline.com Food Processing’s Wellness Foods™ http://FoodProcessing.com http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2007/048.html http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2007/048.html http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2007/173.html http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2007/173.html http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2006/108.html http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2006/108.html http://www.danone.com http://www.cargill.com http://www.cargill.com http://www.admworld.com http://www.oldwayspt.org http://www.unilever.com http://www.wellnessfoodsonline.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Wellness Foods - February 2008

Wellness Foods - February 2008 Well Noted Healthbites New Ingredient Profiles Cover Story: Women Take Heart Going Gluten Free Not Your Momma's OJ Aloe - Nutrition Beyond the Trends On the Shelf Expert Opinion - Soy Update

Wellness Foods - February 2008

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