May 19, 2005 Recent News 
Key Trends in Functional Drink
Fill Up, Slim Down on Low-Cal Foods
All Low Fat Diets are not Equal
Blending Nutrition and Genetics
Obesity Grows Among the Affluent
Food Pyramid Change
A makeover for the food pyramid might renew interest in healthy habits, but officials say it likely will take time to make a difference for America’s growing girth. After months of revision, a new symbol for healthy habits was introduced. People have steadily grown fatter since the food pyramid debuted in 1992. The new guide is just one element of a system aimed at making people slimmer and healthier. Also in store are Internet tools to help follow the new recommendations, as well as tools to help educators and nutritionists spread the word. The switch was recommended in a 70-page booklet, “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005,” that was developed by a panel of scientists and doctors and released in January. The guidelines, which were the basis for revising the pyramid
, include eating 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables a day; eating 3 ounces of whole-grain foods a day and drinking 3 cups of fat-free or lowfat milk a day. The government also advises exercising at least 30 minutes a day to reduce the risk of chronic disease, even more to prevent weight gain or maintain weight loss. Food companies have been removing trans fats from their products and adding whole grains because of the government guidance. You can explore the new pyramid at www.mypyramid.gov
(Exerpted from Associated Press May3, 2005)
Key Trends in Functional Drink
The following trends are said to be the top 10 in functional drinks. (1) Beverages (and bars) are the future of functional foods. (2) Those drinks targeting a disease will always be niche. (3) "Wellness is the future." (4) Products offering intrinsic healthfulness will have an advantage. (5) Consumers want their healthy products to be as natural as possible. (6) Packaging innovation is key. (7) The "daily dose" market is the strongest growth area. (8) Health claims may not be vital. (9) Look to Asia for trends, products and innovations. (10) It is important to either reduce or eliminate sugar in beverages. Double-Digit Growth is a market analysis looking at the development of the US functional beverage market, where health is the main driver. There are segments on energy drinks, sports drinks, drinks designed as "healthy refreshers," and the rapid growth of enhanced waters.
(Excerpted from Soft Drinks International April 1, 2005)
Fill Up, Slim Down on Low-Cal Foods
By showing people they can eat large volumes of low-calorie foods and still lose weight, Barbara Rolls is hoping to succeed where other diet gurus have failed. Satiety is the key to the approach from this renowned weight-loss researcher. In her experiments with volunteers, Rolls observed that people tend to eat the same weight of food every day, regardless of the calories. Rolls translated her research into a concept she calls Volumetrics. Volumetrics recently caught on and has been featured in national magazines. Low-carbohydrate diets and other restrictive food regimens work for a while but can't be followed over a lifetime. The Volumetrics food plan lets people eat the way they're used to eating. She says the thing that is missing for people on diets is personalizing diets to peoples' needs. The Volumetrics plan calls for four steps:
Eat foods low in energy density (calorie density). Eat more high-fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains. Eat adequate amounts of lean protein, which could include boneless, skinless chicken breast, fish, seafood, low-fat dairy foods, egg whites, tofu and beans. Eat fewer foods that are high in fat, such as full-fat cheeses, marbled cuts of beef, fried snack foods and baked goods. Volumetrics doesn't require giving up your favorite foods.
(Excerpted from The Herald News April 26, 2005)
Low Carb and Beyond
Low-carb diets, their health effects and their rise and drop in popularity is the result of what most people want, not fewer carbs, but better tasting, healthier carbohydrates. A solution is fiber ingredients that taste good and function as well as digestible carbs in food formulations. They promote inulin, along with other health benefits. Among its benefits for low-carb product formulators is that it is dietary fiber and does not add to the net carb content of the product. It is easily incorporated into a variety of products and tends to enhance mouthfeel. It also masks the flavor of proteins, can replace fat, round out the sweetness of high-intensity sweeteners, and extend shelf life of bars and soft baked goods. It is also good for gut health. Because most consumers are now interested in balanced diets, the new diet trend will be to put more carbs back into the "healthy" food category. As whole grain and fiber-containing ingredients gain more attention, inulin will continue to be a valuable fiber ingredient.
(Excerpted from Cereal Foods World March 1, 2005)
All Low Fat Diets are not Equal
Not all lowfat diets are the same. A low-fat diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans has twice the cholesterol-lowering power of a conventional low-fat diet, according to a new study. In other words, a meal of spinach salad, egg and oatmeal-carrot cookies is healthier for your heart than stir-fried lean beef and asparagus and low-fat chocolate chip cookies - even when both meals contain the same amount of saturated fat and cholesterol. The finding comes from a meticulous comparison of two low-fat diets. One, the conventional diet, focused solely on avoiding harmful saturated fat and cholesterol. Diners ate such foods as frozen waffles and turkey bologna sandwiches. The second diet included the same proportions of fat and cholesterol, plus lots of plant-based foods in accordance with American Heart Association guidelines. Those diners ate such foods as hot grain cereals and vegetable soups. Both diets lowered total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol over the course of the four-week study. The conventional diet produced, on average, a 4.6 percent LDL decrease. But the plant-based diet beat that hands-down: It achieved, on average, a 9.4 percent decrease in LDL. Bottom line: Do eat your veggies and other nutrient dense foods. It's not enough to simply steer clear of saturated fat and cholesterol.
(Excerpted from Food Consumer May 3, 2005)
Blending Nutrition and Genetics
The Center for Health Enhancement in Santa Monica, California, is offering eating plans tailored to clients' genetic profiles, and it is one of the few places in the United States offering a DNA analysis combined with personal counseling by a nutritionist. This type of service is aligned with the goal of a new field known as nutritional genetics, or nutrigenomics. The idea is that someday doctors could prick a finger, send the blood to a lab, predict the genetic likelihood of certain diseases, and then tailor a preventive diet exactly to those unique needs. But many scientists, even those specializing in nutrition and genetics, agree that will not be for a while yet.
(Excerpted from Los Angeles Times/Sun News April 28, 2005)
Obesity Grows Among the Affluent
Obesity has long been a problem mostly of the poor, but new research shows that the more affluent are catching up fast. The prevalence of obesity is growing three times as fast among Americans who make more than $60,000 a year as it is among their low-income neighbors, according to a study presented at a recent meeting of the American Heart Association.
(Excerpted from The Wall Street Journal/Associated Press May 3, 2005)
