Health Food

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Since the late 1960’s around the time of the ecology movement, there’s been a growing awareness about health food, mainly the relationship between the food we eat and our health. In actuality, it goes back even further when in 1829 Reverend Sylvester Graham toured the country preaching the gospel of whole grains. He goes down in history as the inventor of the graham cracker. Sister Ellen White, a leader in the Seventh Day Adventist Church, founded the Health Reform Institute in the late 1800’s. Some of the first foods promoted as health foods were brewers yeast, wheat germ, powdered skim milk, molasses, and yogurt.

Old Ideas

Health food has gotten a bad rap, and those that indulge in it are often labeled health nuts or fanatics. The food industry and the appetite of health conscious individuals have taken health food past tofu and bean sprouts. Once relegated to a few out of the way stores, health food is now popping up in mainstream grocery stores and exploding over the internet.

Terms Of Confusion

In many minds, health food and organic food are the same. Still, others think that organic, natural, and whole foods are the same. Health food encompasses all three.

Whole - Foods as close to their natural state as possible.

Natural - Contain no synthetic ingredients.

Organic - Meet organic growing standards.

Health foods are less processed and free of chemical preservatives and additives. They can also be reduced or free of wheat, gluten, sugar, sodium, hydrogenated fats, caffeine, and even milk.

Eat Well And Read

Exploring the culinary possibilities of health foods opens a treasure chest of nutritive offerings. Healthy eating doesn’t mean taste-free. Fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains are the basic and original health foods. Check out the health food section for out of the ordinary whole grains such as quinoa, amaranth, millet, and bulgur. Keeping in mind that optimum health is the goal, be wary of the health food pretenders. Granola has long been espoused as a health food, but the amount of fat grams and calories in some brands outweigh any health benefits it may have. Many energy drinks are loaded with sugar, and many energy bars are nothing more than glorified candy bars. This is where it pays to read the labels. Bear in mind that the ingredient in the greatest amount is listed first and the ingredient in the least amount is listed last. All the chemicals, preservatives, sugar, and fat in the food item should be at the end of the list of ingredients. Some food label terminology needs to be clearly defined. Take heed when shopping for foods that are billed as healthy.

Label Claim Definition

Calorie Free = Less than 5 calories
Low Calorie = 0 calories or less
Light or Lite = 1/3 fewer calories or 50% less fat
Cholesterol Free = Less than 2 milligrams of cholesterol and saturated fat
Sodium Free = Less than 5 milligrams sodium
Low Sodium = 140 milligrams or less of sodium
High Fiber = 5 or more grams of fiber
% Fat Free = % must accurately reflect the amount of fat in 100 grams of food

Health Food Buzzwords

There is much talk in the health food industry about functional foods. By definition, functional foods are those that yield health properties beyond the nutrients it naturally contains. Within that segment, there are two classifications:

Foods that naturally contain phytochemcials-which are biologically active non-nutrient compounds. This include most plant-based foods.
Specially formulated foods that have higher amounts of nutrients or phytochemicals.

Benefits

By far the greatest benefit of phytochemicals is the decreased risk of serious diseases. Listed below are some you may have heard of.

Isoflavones- found in soybeans.
Flavonoids - powerful antioxidants.
Carotenoids - provides the rainbow of food colors.

In the carotenoid category there are beta-carotenes prevalent in carrots, sweet potatoes, and red peppers; lycopene in tomatoes; and lutein in dark green leafy vegetables.

Choices and Change

Lifestyle changes have put food manufacturers on notice, and they are now forced to keep up with and produce healthy alternatives for the public. Baby boomers are now seen as the majority of health food patrons, as they search for ways to keep, or restore vitality. What was once seen as tasteless and expensive is a new batch of health foods that are affordable, easy to find, and satisfying to the heart and palate.

There will always be a food or substance that is hailed as the new miracle or wonder. Today it’s soy, omega- 3’s, and pomegranate. Tomorrow will bring something new. No fancy labels or catchy words are needed to eat healthy. Eating clean and natural food along with minimal amounts of sugar and fat in moderate portions will always be the healthiest way to eat.