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Are Fortified Foods As Nutritious As The Whole Foods?
Question: Hi, I would like to know whether the fortified foods are as nutritious as the whole foods. Are the micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) added in the food artificially are absorbed by the body as efficiently as the micronutrients contained in the whole food? The reason for asking this question is that me and my family have been having breakfast cereals of various brands in the morning; the nutrition information on those informations show that intake of these cereals will provide 100% of various vitamins and minerals. Is this information correct ?
Brief Answer:
U need to be careful....
Detailed Answer:
HI XXXXXXX
Greetings......!!!
The fortified breakfast cereals and other foods have actually gained a lot of popularity in recent time, thanks to the whole new world of marketing. However, their claim about providing wholesome nutrition is still a topic of debate.
The fortified or “functional foods” is just a way to make us eat something that may not be as healthy as it is claimed to be. The food might be rich in a particular nutrient but the overall goodness of the product is what actually matters. A lot of these products are not healthy as these are either too refined or contain too many additives to maintain its appearance, physical quality and to prolong the product’s shelve life.
The absorption and assimilation of the nutrients from the fortified foods largely depends upon the source of the nutrient. While the nutrients added through a natural source are better absorbed, the synthetic nutrients may find it difficult to get through. This means even if the food is designed to provide 100 percent of the Recommended Dietary Allowance of a nutrient; it may not be doing so as effectively in reality.
This does not mean that you should completely avoid these foods, but to totally relay on them for your nutritional needs would not be a wise thought, as we still do not have enough evidence to say that the fortified foods can replace the natural foods. I would advise you to consider a mixed diet approach, where you replace certain natural foods with functional foods, or combine the two. For example, a bowl of calcium fortified breakfast cereal with skimmed milk and roasted nuts and fruits is just the right start of the day.
Stay fit...
Meenakshi
U need to be careful....
Detailed Answer:
HI XXXXXXX
Greetings......!!!
The fortified breakfast cereals and other foods have actually gained a lot of popularity in recent time, thanks to the whole new world of marketing. However, their claim about providing wholesome nutrition is still a topic of debate.
The fortified or “functional foods” is just a way to make us eat something that may not be as healthy as it is claimed to be. The food might be rich in a particular nutrient but the overall goodness of the product is what actually matters. A lot of these products are not healthy as these are either too refined or contain too many additives to maintain its appearance, physical quality and to prolong the product’s shelve life.
The absorption and assimilation of the nutrients from the fortified foods largely depends upon the source of the nutrient. While the nutrients added through a natural source are better absorbed, the synthetic nutrients may find it difficult to get through. This means even if the food is designed to provide 100 percent of the Recommended Dietary Allowance of a nutrient; it may not be doing so as effectively in reality.
This does not mean that you should completely avoid these foods, but to totally relay on them for your nutritional needs would not be a wise thought, as we still do not have enough evidence to say that the fortified foods can replace the natural foods. I would advise you to consider a mixed diet approach, where you replace certain natural foods with functional foods, or combine the two. For example, a bowl of calcium fortified breakfast cereal with skimmed milk and roasted nuts and fruits is just the right start of the day.
Stay fit...
Meenakshi
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
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