More and more new foods are appearing in the shops that are said to have a beneficial effect on health: a lower cholesterol level, a good bowel movement or a better resistance. How do you know if those claims are true?
It all started fourteen years ago with a strange little bottle at the time: Yakult. Brought over from Japan, where this kind of health food has been popular for years. In the meantime, countless products are for sale in our country that offer something extra for health. They are also known as functional foods. Sometimes it concerns small bottles, but often also ordinary-looking products such as dairy, margarine and bread. We are no longer surprised by bread with fish fatty acids, or a dairy drink that would make you eat less.
But how can you be sure that these – often expensive – products do what they promise? According to Dr Henk van den Berg, nutrition and health specialist at the Nutrition Center, manufacturers cannot simply claim what they want. “The law states that a claim on a food may not be misleading, and that manufacturers must be able to substantiate their claim. But that is hardly checked. There is a ban on medical claims that mention diseases. For example, a manufacturer may not claim that its product prevents disease. But with a claim such as ‘resistance-increasing’ that impression is of course created.”
Nevertheless, there are functional foods that can withstand the test of criticism, according to Van den Berg: “Some manufacturers have voluntarily had the claimed effect tested by a committee of independent experts. Such an assessment provides the best guarantee that a claim is actually correct.” Eight functional foods have successfully passed this inspection so far. You can see which these are in the products shown under the question ‘Claim tested?’. If the answer is ‘yes’, then the health effect has been demonstrably proven. How do you recognize these products with an advantage in the store? Van den Berg: “Unfortunately, the manufacturer is not allowed to state the approval on the product. But these products are on the website of the Nutrition Center.” And if a product has been tested, but the claimed health effect has not been proven? Van den Berg: “Then such a product may not make a claim. If that does happen, the experts’ report will still be made public.”
Natural Medicines
Do you think functional foods can do something about your delayed bowel movements or elevated cholesterol levels? It could be. But don’t lose sight of the role of a healthy lifestyle either. Exercise, not smoking, relaxing and eating healthy are likely to help. A 10 percent reduction in cholesterol is within reach if you start eating healthier, avoiding cakes, pastries, snacks, full-fat dairy and fatty meats. And if you lose some weight if you are overweight, your cholesterol level will drop. A fiber-rich diet with plenty of vegetables, fruit and grain products does wonders for your bowel movements, especially combined with plenty of drinking and exercise. Therefore, use functional foods only as a bonus and not as a substitute for healthy lifestyles.
