Heart Health

A new study by the Life Science Research Office announced on November 24, found that “The FDA definition for whole grains as a selection criterion to evaluate the scientific literature is limiting because most of the studies use a broader concept of whole grains.”

Solae, a soy ingredient supplier, presented a study confirming soy consumption’s link to lower cholesterol at the American Heart Association 2008 Scientific Sessions on November 10.

More than 80% of Americans are currently consuming or would consider consuming foods with added health and wellness benefits.

Vitamins and minerals have nuanced effects that may vary depending on the study population.

B Vitamins Lower Homocysteine but Not CVD Risk Source: CM Albert et al., "Effect of Folic Acid and B Vitamins on Risk of Cardiovascular Events and Total Mortality among Women at High Risk for Cardiovascular Disease: A Randomized Trial," Journal of the American Medical Association, vol. 299, no 17 (May 7, 2008): 2027–2036.

While the soy foods market continues to grow, the soy supplement market hasn't experienced the same success. In fact, according to Nutrition Business Journal, soy supplement sales declined for the past three years (2004–2006) from their reported high of $106 million in 2003. In contrast, Packaged Facts (Rockville, MD) estimates the soy food and beverage market at $2.1 billion in 2007, up 7% from the prior year. This same report forecasts continued growth through 2012, estimating the market at $3 billion.

Inflammation afflicts a wide swath of Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta), nearly 46 million people in the United States suffer from arthritis and painful joint swelling. But other conditions linked to inflammation, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and asthma, strike millions more and cost tens of billions of dollars per year to treat.

 While it may be true that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, eating berries, nuts, and other sweet foods won’t hurt either. Some of the latest nutrition research explores the idea that anti­oxidants in fruit may play a role in preventing health problems associated with metabolic syndrome, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and diabetes.

Lack of communication between doctors and patients poses a serious problem for the healthcare industry, especially when it comes to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM; Bethesda, MD), only about 12% of Americans who tried CAM between 1997 and 2004 consulted a licensed healthcare practitioner.

At an American Heart Association (AHA; Dallas) conference on trans fat last October, health experts worried about the law of unintended consequences. Although most food manufacturers are trying to eliminate trans fat from their products, some are simply replacing it with saturated fat, which is just as harmful. To encourage the use of healthier fats and oils, AHA embarked upon a new public relations campaign in April to urge food manufacturers, restaurants, and consumers to switch to healthier vegetable oils.

  Except for the 1918 flu epidemic, heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States every year since 1900. And the latest data from the American Heart Association (AHA; Dallas) suggest that the deadly effects of cardiovascular disease (CVD) aren’t likely to abate any time soon: In 2004, the most recent year for which AHA has compiled statistics, CVD was an underlying cause in more than one-third of all U.S. deaths.

Functional foods and supplements that address specific health conditions are finally poised for strong growth and could lead the packaged goods category to greater heights in 2007, according to several market research sources. The trend reflects consumer movement away from general wellness products in favor of items that claim to help prevent more serious ailments such as heart disease or arthritis.

At the World Health Organization’s (WHO; Geneva) upcoming European Ministerial Conference on Counteracting Obesity, which will be held in November in Istanbul, Turkey, many of the world’s leading health experts will convene to develop new plans for dealing with the obesity epidemic. With any luck, functional foods will be one of the strategies that helps makes a difference.

Let’s focus on milk and soy. To say which of these two protein sources is more significant would be to detract from their uniqueness. Milk, after all, is animal based, and soy is vegetable. Milk protein accelerates physical recovery from numerous ailments, and soy protein mitigates heart disease.

The good news is that there’s growing evidence nutritional supplements can play a key role in treating people with heart disease.

How will the new products fare in the market? That depends on how the science behind them stacks up. Here’s a look at the latest crop of ingredients to keep an eye on in 2006.

Recent natural products research suggests that ingredients derived from common foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and grains, may have beneficial effects on heart health. While scientists need to complete more research before they can have an accurate picture of how effective these ingredients are, excitement is building among consumers and manufacturers.