Designer Foods: Health Benefit or Hype?

Posted @ Mar. 01 2010 10:22AM by Ray - health-wellness

By Carol Ann Brannon, MS, RD, LD

Americans are beginning to take to heart Hippocrates’ advice, “Let food be thy medicine.” New “designer” foods are arriving daily to grocery store shelves. Designer foods, sometimes called functional foods, are fortified or modified foods that are created for a specific medical or health purpose, for example, lowering cholesterol levels, promoting good digestion, and boosting immune function.  

The “Good” Dietary Fat

One of the “hottest” categories of designer foods are those enhanced with omega-3 fatty acids, the “good” dietary fats. Omega-3 fatty acids include alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is abundant in flax seeds, soybeans, walnuts, and canola oil; docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is found in fatty fish and sea algae; and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), also in fatty fish.

There is substantial scientific evidence supporting the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids including protection from heart disease and fatal heart attack; decrease in inflammation and pain associated with arthritis; improvement in memory, concentration, mood, vision, and immune function, and possible protection against cancer.

The FDA has approved the use of a qualified health claim for foods or supplements containing EPA or DHA, which states “supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease”.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that adults eat fatty fish, about six ounces twice per week. A fish oil supplement might be appropriate for certain individuals who do not consume fish/shellfish. However, always check with your physician before taking any dietary supplement, especially a fish oil supplement, as it may interfere with other medications or conditions.

Types of Omega-3 Enriched Foods

Increased consumer awareness and demand for omega-3 fatty acids has triggered the emergence of omega-3 enriched foods (infant formulas, margarines, eggs, juices, cereals, snacks). Adding flax seeds to baked goods, snacks, and cereals increases their omega-3 content.  The omega-3 content of animal foods is generally enhanced through manipulation of animal feed. For example, hens fed a diet of ground fishmeal and algae produce an omega-3 rich egg. Egglands’ Best® (widely available) and Christopher Brand Eggs® (available at Super Wal-Mart stores) are two brands of omega-3 enriched eggs. On average, an omega-3 enhanced egg has about 600mg of omega-3 fatty acids, compared to only 35 to 40mg in a conventional egg.

Smart Balance® has a variety of products, such as oils, spreads, peanut butter, popcorn, and cheese with omega-3 fatty acids and no hydrogenated fats or oils and no trans fats. Omega-3 enriched beverages, like Odwalla®’s Soy Smart® and Berries GoMega,® with alpha-linolenic acid, are widely available. Silken®, a popular brand of soy milk, has introduced Silk Plus Omega-3 DHA with Life's DHA®, a vegetarian source of DHA, and  Silk Plus with ALA.

The typical American diet is high in omega-6 fatty acids (corn oil and soybean oil), but lacks omega-3 fatty acids (flax seed, fish, nuts, seeds). For optimal health, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids should be about 4:1; however, the typical American diet contains a ratio between 8:1 and 25:1. This imbalance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, inflammatory/autoimmune disorders (arthritis and allergies), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and depression. It’s important to strike a balance. Eating omega-3 rich foods and moderating intake of omega-6 fatty acids is good for you!   

Tips for Balancing Dietary Fats

Include up to 6 ounces of “safe” fish twice weekly: salmon, canned light tuna, pollock, catfish, or shrimp.

Choose foods with flax seeds. Use recipes that include pumpkin (pumpkin bread) and walnuts (pesto sauce); add ground flax seed to baked goods, pancakes and yogurt.

Avoid foods containing hydrogenated, partially-hydrogenated, and trans fats.

Bake, broil, stir-fry, or steam instead of deep-frying.

Eat more whole foods (whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes) and less processed food products.

For more information go to: www.ific.org/publications/factsheets/omega3fs.cfm#Recommendations