Medicina Tradicional Chinesa

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Types of Functional Foods

There are three different types of functional foods. First, there are those products that are inherently healthy. This includes products that do not add any bioactives, but intrinsically contain nutritional compounds that have scientific data to support functionality. For instance, Welch’s grape juice sales increased 33% following the release of clinical data supporting antioxidant activity and cardiovascular benefits; Gardenburger sales increased 25% in the two months following the FDA approved health claim for soy; cranberry juice sales increased 20% after the results of a 1994 Harvard study demonstrated health benefits; and General Mill’s Cheerios sales jumped 11% after being marketed for a heart health benefit.

The second category of functional foods includes those which add a researched bioactive compound to provide a health benefit. The classic example here is Tropicana Pure Premium orange juice, which reformulated its line with added calcium, growing sales 173% and building a new category. This class of functional foods addressed the reintroduction of orphaned phytonutrients.

Finally, engineered functional foods are those formulated specifically to deliver a desired functional benefit. Whether you knock back a Red Bull for an energy lift, a PowerBar for sports performance benefit, or a Gatorade to replenish electrolytes, these products are based on scientific research to deliver to the consumer a desired benefit.

Functional foods are not a panacea and are therefore bound to be abused, just as dietary supplements have been. In other words, in controlled dosing, such as pills, one can specify the amount of certain bioactive compounds such as vitamin A. But when these compounds are in a food product, it is a bit more difficult to manage the dosing, especially when a good tasting snack product is involved. Maybe one just wasn’t enough and soon the consumer is doubling or tripling the amount of vitamin A, possibly reaching a potentially toxic level. Remember General Mill’s Cheerios? Well, FDA recently claimed that Cheerios were being marketed as a drug, since the company promoted cholesterol reduction of 4% in six weeks.

Another valid concern is the encouragement of additional caloric intake. Functional foods “delude people into thinking that [they] are healthy,” says author and New York University food scientist Marion Nestle. And many of the foods marketed as functional are not particularly “healthy” aside from the bioactives involved.

Considering more than half of households are using food or beverages to treat or manage specific health issues, it is important to recognize the burden that must be carried by companies marketing these products. If consumers are eating medicine like it’s food, they could get too much of a good thing. And the consumption of additional calories simply feeds a real health pandemic: obesity. So it is very important that manufacturers think very carefully about what they are formulating and how they are marketing these functional food products. The key take away is this: functional food success will be defined by wellness, not disease treatment.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Women Feel Empowered by Active Lifestyles

A new survey of 443 women ages 25-49 showed those who work out regularly do not just do it to be healthy; they do it to feel like a more confident, energized and accomplished woman. In fact, nearly all active women—more than nine out of 10—say working out regularly makes them feel healthier (100%), stronger (98%) and more energized (94%). These same women report that regular workouts make them feel more confident and accomplished (86%).

The findings are based on a survey sponsored by Propel Enhanced Water and conducted by Opinion Research Corporation (ORC). The survey finds that three out of four say they are always searching for new and easy ways to stay well and feel good.

"Today's woman is busy and juggles multiple priorities. When I learned that so many women are searching for easy ways to stay well and feel good, and that more than 60% of active women said that water alone doesn't cut it when it comes to staying hydrated, I was happy to know that Propel can offer a solution," said Esperanza Teasdale, director of marketing, Propel, PepsiCo.

According to the findings, more than half of active women who work out regularly are more likely to say "yes" to romance, a date or an evening out with friends:

• 51% feel more inclined toward romance

• 37% say they are more likely to want to go out on the town with friends

• 36% report they are more inclined to go out on a date

Women who are not currently active admit that working out at least three days a week would not just make them healthier, but also make them feel sexier and more confident. Nearly all (98%) of non-active women say working out regularly would make them feel healthier, more energized (96%), stronger (92%), more confident (78%) and more accomplished (72%). Additionally, 82% say they would feel more attractive and sexier (68%).

These findings support Propel's latest campaign—Satisfy Your Body with Propel—which represents real women who are energized and empowered by physical activity and understand the need to replenish, energize and protect in all aspects of their lives.

Pacific Highway

Pacific Highway