As a Holistic Nutritionist, it’s my job to keep up with popular food market trends. I’ve noticed that grocery stores keep getting bigger, and sale flyers entice consumers with the promises of a better product. Some of these products are nutritionally misleading, so it’s important to know what’s-what.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega 3 fatty acids help to fight heart disease, lubricate the hair-skin-nails-colon, and improve functioning of the nervous system.  Omega 3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated and contain 3 properties: EPA, DHA, and ALA.  Fish and seafood is a good source of EPA and DHA, where flax and nuts are a good source of ALA. It is recommended to eat 2 servings of fish per week to meet requirements.

Omega-3 fatty acids are now added to products like: margarine, eggs, cheese, crackers, cookies, chocolate and energy bars, and even orange juice. Livestock are also fed grains high in Omega fatty acids, which produces a product higher in fatty acids. Eat your Omega fatty acids by including more fish, flaxseeds, nuts and seeds in your diet.

Green Tea Extracts

Known for its antioxidant properties, green tea is also a powerful metabolism booster. Green tea has been used by Japanese for centuries as a health tonic and beauty aid. The active property in green tea is called catechins. Look for it on the label when you’re buying supplements or green tea enhanced products.

Green tea extracts are found in many popular diet products, energy bars, chewing gum, yogurt and even bottled water. Drinking 2-3 cups each day of green tea high in catechins is the best way to meet requirements. Most of the products enriched with green tea extract are for the dieting industry.

Probiotics

Probiotics are live, active cultures often added to dairy products. Probiotics nourish the intestinal system and replenish good gut flora. Otherwise known as the yogurt pill, this powerful immune system builder is essential after antibiotic uses. Antibiotics destroy good and bad gut flora, and it’s recommended to eat a lot of yogurt after your prescription is completed.

Probiotics are found in yogurts, shakes, cheese, frozen yogurt, cereal and energy bars. Usually added to dairy products, this culture helps the fermentation process and produces bacteria. If you are feeling sick, increasing your daily probiotic intake is a good idea. Eat low fat dairy products each day to meet probiotic requirements.

Become an informed consumer, and learn as much as you can about food. You are responsible for your own body’s health and wellness.  Choose nutritious food more often and be physically active each day to preserve your quality of life. Food labels can often be misleading, so do your research. If you have a question about popular health food products email, positivechange@rachellewood.ca . Your question may be featured in an upcoming blog post. I would like to thank Natalie in Halifax for asking me a question which inspired me to create this post.