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Food for Health. Barbara H. Ingham Assistant Professor Extension Food Scientist. Food for Health. Pharmacy Foods Medical Foods Functional Foods. Functional Food.
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Food for Health Barbara H. Ingham Assistant Professor Extension Food Scientist
Food for Health • Pharmacy Foods • Medical Foods • Functional Foods
Functional Food A food product that has been clinically shown to maintain human health or to promote human well-being better than similar traditional foods
Functional Foods Foods and ingredients that may play a role in optimal health
Phytochemicals Medical edibles from plants
Medicinal agents from plants • 25% pharmaceutical agents are extracted from plants • 3.2 billion people use plants as primary source of medicine • Can food plants be used to prevent or fight disease?
Plant-based Products Cancer Fighting Foods • Broccoli, garlic, onions • Soy • Tea • Tomatoes and tomato sauce • Spinach and kale • Cranberries
Sulfur-Containing Foods(Allium Compounds- Sulforaphane) Garlic and Onions Broccoli
Sulforaphane • Healing Benefits: Inhibit cancer cells, lower cholesterol, protect against heart disease • Suggested Amount: • 1-2 garlic cloves a day • Let garlic stand for 10 minutes before heating
Soy Phytoestrogens and Isoflavones
Levels of Phytoestrogens mg/kg Green beans, fresh, raw 2 Lima beans, raw, dry 15 Green split peas, dry 73 Alfalfa sprouts 47 Soybeans 340 Tofu 150 Soy flour 230
SOY • Decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancer • Decreased atherosclerosis • Lower blood cholesterol • 4 oz tofu; 8 oz soy milk per day
Green Tea(catechins) Protective effects against cancer and heart disease
Green Tea- antioxidants • Fluoride-prevention of tooth decay • Caffeine-less than coffee • Phytochemicals- stop the activity of cell-damaging free radicals • Dark chocolate too! • Suggested amount- 1 cup of tea/day
Tomato-Based Products Lycopene: Providing the red color in tomato products, and cancer protection too!
Lycopene Content of Foods mg/100 g wet wt Tomatoes, fresh 2.0 Tomatoes, canned 3.7 Tomato sauce 6.2 Tomato paste 5.4-15.0 Tomato juice 5.0-12 Pizza sauce 13 Ketchup 12 Grapefruit, pink 4 Watermelon 5
Lycopene- antioxidant • Protection against breast cancer, cancer of the GI tract, and skin cancer • Protection against cardiovascular disease • Suggested amount: 10 servings per week
Spinach and Kale (Lutein) • Food sources: kale, spinach, collards • Antioxidant that filters UV rays • May protect against cataracts and macular degeneration • May protect against colon cancer • Suggested amount: ½ C cooked greens or 2 C. raw per day
Lutein-Rich Vegetables Vegetable*Lutein (mg/100g) Raw carrot 0.26 Kale 21.9 Raw spinach 10.0 Broccoli 1.90 Green peas 1.70 Leaf lettuce 1.80 Collard greens 16.3 * Also in oranges, celery, tomatoes.
Cranberries(Anthocyanins) • Protection against heart disease • Protection against age-related mental decline • Less pain and inflammation of diseases like arthritis and gout • Foods: berries, cherries, grapes • Suggested amount: 1 pint
Margarine(Over-the-Top Functional Food) • Benecol and Take Control • Stanol and sterol ester-based (plant-based ‘cholesterol’) • 50% of the population has high cholesterol • 10% reduction in serum cholesterol in 2 weeks • Block absorption of LDL in the blood • May reduce risk of CHD • Additional benefit if used w/ medication • Recommended: 2 servings/day
Animal-Based Products Cancer Fighting Foods • Yogurt • CLA Conjugated Linoleic Acid
Yogurt- the ultimate functional food • Probiotics- products that contain health-promoting bacteria • Lactic acid bacteria- slow or prevent the initiation of tumors
Yogurt • Calcium • Protein • B vitamins • Minerals (Bacterial supplements have none of these added benefits)
CLA- Conjugated Linoleic Acid • One of the most potent naturally occurring anti-carcinogens • A component of animal fat • Found in dairy products and meat • Suppresses heart disease in rabbits
CLA Physiological Effects: • Animals eat less • Increased body protein • Decreased body fat (re-partitioning agent)
CLA- Downside Risks • Associated with fatty foods • Link to cholesterol • Association of some fats and cancer(?)
Safety of Functional Foods • Complicated inter-play between bioactive compounds and other substances • Lack of research on some ingredients • Supplements vs foods