Health and Beauty Tips

We have seen in a previous post various types of functional ingredients. Today we will continue with others, including different kinds of fats, and see what are the benefits to our organization, and how they contribute to the maintenance of health or prevent and even correct certain disorders.

Olive oil is rich in oleic acid (monounsaturated fatty acid, AGM) and also has significant amounts of linolenic acid and linoleic (polyunsaturated fatty acids, AGP). The AGM and AGP have the ability to halve the blood levels of cholesterol compared with saturated fatty acids (SFA), present in butter, margarine and palm and coconut oils. It also contains phenolic compounds are important antioxidants. Several studies show an association between olive oil consumption and decreased risk of coronary heart disease, lower incidence of certain cancers, and modification of the inflammatory and immune responses.

Ω-3 fatty salmónÁcidos: Fish fats are rich in fatty acids docohexaenóico (DHA) and eicosapantenóico (EPA), which are polyunsaturated fatty acids (AGP), commonly called ω-3. Numerous studies have demonstrated its role in preventing cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, other inflammatory diseases and various mental illnesses. Therefore, there are also many foods that have taken away their originals and fats have been replaced by ω-3. The problem is that many of these foods contain very small amounts of ω-3, which is not sufficient to produce the effects observed in clinical trials (made with much higher doses of these fats). While it is true that the fact of replacing a saturated fat (such as milk, butter, or fat often found in many cookies) by polyunsaturated fats such as ω-3 as an improvement of lipid profile diet.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) under this name are grouped a set of isomers of linoleic acid, present in small amounts in seed oils and animal fats relatively abundant, especially the milk of ruminants. The effects of fat have been extensively studied in animals, with very promising results in reducing body fat and improved lipid metabolism, anticancer, antidiabetic and improved immune function, but human studies have yielded somewhat ambiguous. It also attributed some adverse effect of insulin resistance. Thus, while today there are many supplements and functional foods that have CLA; more studies are needed to determine the roll that takes humans to establish appropriate recommendations.

We saw that one of the features that should meet these foods that could be considered functional is that its positive effects on certain body functions or prevention of various diseases were to have been scientifically proven. Another is to be consumed (to observe the functional effect) in the amounts usually consumed in the diet. These two features currently are not always met, and many manufacturers mentioned in advertising or packaging of their products, the functional properties of the ingredients they contain, although these proportions are insufficient, so the amounts usually consumed the functional food are not observed the therapeutic effect promised, or without sufficient scientific backing. To prevent such abuses to the final consumer, who does not have enough information, the European Union has created a European Commission Concerted Action on Functional Food Science in Europe (FUFOSE), which aims to develop and establish a scientific approach to the evidence needed to support the development of functional foods. To implement its findings and principles has created a program of concerted action by the European Commission, Process for the Assessment of Scientific Support for Claims regarding Foods (PASSCLAIM), which aims to resolve issues the scientific validation and verification of claims and consumer information.

We hope that through these initiatives we are better informed consumers and therefore more protected.