Remember Y2K? It's already been ten years since we wondered what would happen when the 99s turned to 00s. Do you remember what you were eating and drinking back then? Many people were dropping their low-fat diets and latching on to
low-carb; potatoes began falling out of favor at dinner time, while
eggs were making a big comeback.
There are some interesting things that have emerged in nutrition in the past decade. I don't think may of us remember exactly what we were eating (or thinking about eating) in 1999, but here are ten things I bet weren't on our minds:
We've known for long time that vitamin D is important for absorption of calcium, so it's been added to milk and to calcium supplements for years. Now there is a growing body of research suggesting that vitamin D levels may be correlated with other health concerns. Your body makes vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight, but you can find it in a few foods too.
Many years ago, we ate butter. Then we realized all those
saturated fats in the butter were bad for our arteries, so we switched to
margarine made from
polyunsaturated fats. The problem was that polyunsaturated fats are liquid and don't spread very well on toast, so food companies partially
hydrogenated the oils to give them a semi-solid texture. Unfortunately, that process creates trans fats that are probably worse than saturated fats.
Organic foods devotees have been around for a very long time, but in the nineties, most organic foods were found in small health food stores and co-ops. Today, you'll find organic foods in almost every grocery store. Why are organic foods becoming more popular? Mostly to avoid pesticides and other
chemicals that can be found in our foods.
There are lots of foods that are nutritious, however some foods have a little something extra. These foods are called
superfoods. While there is no single definition for superfoods, in general superfoods are naturally
nutrient dense, high in
antioxidants, may contain healthful fats, or be low in calories, and also have some scientific studies to explain how they may keep you healthy.
Omega-3 fatty acids are important for good health, and you have to get them from your diet - your body can't make them. The American Heart Association suggests eating at least
two servings of fish each week because fish oil is rich with two types of
omega-3 fatty acids called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Plants contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a third type of omega-3 fat.
Red Bull became a popular new beverage in the 2000s, and many more brands soon followed. Today when you go to the grocery or convenience store, you'll see several brands of
energy drinks. They're easily identified by their brightly colored cans and crazy names that entice people to buy them, hoping to feel more awake and alert. Most energy drinks contain large amounts of caffeine, some combination of B vitamins, herbs and
amino acids, and of course, lots of sugar. These beverages are very popular among teens and young adults, so kids are now consuming more caffeine at an earlier age.
GMO stands for genetically modified organisms, and the use of
GMO foods, although common, has become somewhat controversial. GMO crops have had their genetic structure modified in some way, usually to make them more resistant to pests or more resistant to certain herbicides that farmers use on weeds. Potentially, plants could be modified to add nutritional benefits; however, some people are worried that these "Frankenfoods" might ultimately cause harm to humans and the
environment.
Yogurt has been well known as a health food for a long time because it's high in calcium and protein. But it also contains
probiotic, or friendly, bacteria that are good for your health. Probiotics, and pre-biotics (substances that feed the friendly bacteria), are found in other foods too, such as kefir and sauerkraut, and are available in
dietary supplements.
Some
processed foods are formulated with nutritional ingredients in order to boost their
nutritional value. You can find orange juice with calcium added,
peanut butter made with omega-3 fats, and margarine that contains plant sterols. Most of these foods will bear some type of health
claim on their labels, and usually a bigger price tag. So what's the difference between superfoods and functional foods? Usually functional foods have been enhanced with some extra ingredient, while superfoods are typically in their natural state.
Combine the words nutrition and pharmaceuticals, and you have
nutraceuticals. While some people consider functional foods to be nutraceuticals, usually the term refers to dietary supplements that carry some claim of health benefit. These supplements are typically made from extracts (single components of healthy foods), such as
quercetin,
lutein or
lycopene. While there is lots of evidence that eating the whole foods that contain these components is good for you, the research results aren't as clear when you remove them from the foods and put them into pills.
