Food for HealthFood for Health

Barbara H. InghamBarbara H. Ingham

Assistant ProfessorAssistant Professor

Extension Food ScientistExtension Food Scientist

Food for HealthFood for Health

• Pharmacy FoodsPharmacy Foods

• Medical FoodsMedical Foods

• Functional FoodsFunctional Foods

Functional FoodFunctional Food

A food product that has been A food product that has been clinically shown to maintain clinically shown to maintain human health or to promote human health or to promote human well-being better than human well-being better than similar traditional foodssimilar traditional foods

Functional FoodsFunctional Foods

Foods and ingredients Foods and ingredients

that may play a role in that may play a role in

optimal healthoptimal health

PhytochemicalsPhytochemicals

Medical edibles from plantsMedical edibles from plants

Medicinal agents from plantsMedicinal agents from plants

• 25% pharmaceutical agents are 25% pharmaceutical agents are extracted from plantsextracted from plants

• 3.2 billion people use plants as 3.2 billion people use plants as primary source of medicineprimary source of medicine

• Can food plants be used to Can food plants be used to prevent or fight disease?prevent or fight disease?

Plant-based ProductsPlant-based ProductsCancer Fighting FoodsCancer Fighting Foods

• Broccoli, garlic, onionsBroccoli, garlic, onions

• SoySoy

• TeaTea

• Tomatoes and tomato sauceTomatoes and tomato sauce

• Spinach and kaleSpinach and kale

• CranberriesCranberries

Sulfur-Containing FoodsSulfur-Containing Foods(Allium Compounds- Sulforaphane)(Allium Compounds- Sulforaphane)

Garlic and OnionsGarlic and Onions

BroccoliBroccoli

SulforaphaneSulforaphane• Healing BenefitsHealing Benefits: Inhibit cancer : Inhibit cancer

cells, lower cholesterol, protect cells, lower cholesterol, protect against heart diseaseagainst heart disease

• Suggested AmountSuggested Amount: : 1-2 garlic cloves a day1-2 garlic cloves a day Let garlic stand for 10 minutes before Let garlic stand for 10 minutes before

heatingheating

SoySoy

Phytoestrogens and IsoflavonesPhytoestrogens and Isoflavones

Levels of PhytoestrogensLevels of Phytoestrogensmg/kgmg/kg

Green beans, fresh, rawGreen beans, fresh, raw 22

Lima beans, raw, dryLima beans, raw, dry 1515

Green split peas, dryGreen split peas, dry 7373

Alfalfa sproutsAlfalfa sprouts 4747

SoybeansSoybeans 340340

TofuTofu 150150

Soy flourSoy flour 230230

SOYSOY

Decreased risk of breast and Decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancerovarian cancer

Decreased atherosclerosisDecreased atherosclerosis Lower blood cholesterolLower blood cholesterol 4 oz tofu; 8 oz soy milk per day4 oz tofu; 8 oz soy milk per day

Green TeaGreen Tea(catechins)(catechins)

Protective effects against cancer Protective effects against cancer and heart diseaseand heart disease

Green Tea- antioxidantsGreen Tea- antioxidants• Fluoride-Fluoride-prevention of tooth decayprevention of tooth decay

• Caffeine-Caffeine-less than coffeeless than coffee

• Phytochemicals- Phytochemicals- stop the activity of cell-stop the activity of cell-damaging free radicalsdamaging free radicals

• Dark chocolate too!Dark chocolate too!• Suggested amount-Suggested amount- 1 cup of tea/day1 cup of tea/day

Tomato-Based ProductsTomato-Based Products

Lycopene: Providing the Lycopene: Providing the redred color color in tomato products, and cancer in tomato products, and cancer

protection too!protection too!

Lycopene Content of FoodsLycopene Content of Foodsmg/100 g wet wtmg/100 g wet wt

Tomatoes, freshTomatoes, fresh 2.02.0Tomatoes, cannedTomatoes, canned 3.73.7Tomato sauceTomato sauce 6.26.2Tomato pasteTomato paste 5.4-15.05.4-15.0Tomato juiceTomato juice 5.0-125.0-12Pizza saucePizza sauce 1313KetchupKetchup 1212Grapefruit, pinkGrapefruit, pink 44WatermelonWatermelon 55

Lycopene- antioxidantLycopene- antioxidant• Protection against breast cancer, Protection against breast cancer,

cancer of the GI tract, and skin cancer of the GI tract, and skin cancercancer

• Protection against Protection against cardiovascular diseasecardiovascular disease

• Suggested amount: 10 servings Suggested amount: 10 servings per weekper week

Spinach and KaleSpinach and Kale(Lutein)(Lutein)

Food sources: kale, spinach, collardsFood sources: kale, spinach, collards Antioxidant that filters UV raysAntioxidant that filters UV rays May protect against cataracts and May protect against cataracts and

macular degenerationmacular degeneration May protect against colon cancerMay protect against colon cancer Suggested amount: ½ C cooked Suggested amount: ½ C cooked

greens or 2 C. raw per daygreens or 2 C. raw per day

Lutein-Rich VegetablesLutein-Rich VegetablesVegetable*Vegetable* Lutein Lutein (mg/100g)(mg/100g)

Raw carrotRaw carrot 0.260.26KaleKale 21.9 21.9 Raw spinachRaw spinach 10.010.0BroccoliBroccoli 1.901.90Green peasGreen peas 1.701.70Leaf lettuceLeaf lettuce 1.801.80Collard greensCollard greens 16.316.3

* Also in oranges, celery, tomatoes. * Also in oranges, celery, tomatoes.

CranberriesCranberries(Anthocyanins)(Anthocyanins)

• Protection against heart diseaseProtection against heart disease• Protection against age-related Protection against age-related

mental declinemental decline• Less pain and inflammation of Less pain and inflammation of

diseases like arthritis and goutdiseases like arthritis and gout• Foods: berries, cherries, grapesFoods: berries, cherries, grapes• Suggested amount: 1 pintSuggested amount: 1 pint

MargarineMargarine(Over-the-Top Functional Food)(Over-the-Top Functional Food)

• Benecol and Take ControlBenecol and Take Control– Stanol and sterol ester-based (plant-based Stanol and sterol ester-based (plant-based

‘cholesterol’)‘cholesterol’)

• 50% of the population has high 50% of the population has high cholesterolcholesterol– 10% reduction in serum cholesterol in 2 weeks10% reduction in serum cholesterol in 2 weeks– Block absorption of LDL in the bloodBlock absorption of LDL in the blood– May reduce risk of CHDMay reduce risk of CHD– Additional benefit if used w/ medicationAdditional benefit if used w/ medication

• Recommended: 2 servings/dayRecommended: 2 servings/day

Animal-Based ProductsAnimal-Based Products

Cancer Fighting FoodsCancer Fighting Foods

• YogurtYogurt

• CLACLA

Conjugated Linoleic AcidConjugated Linoleic Acid

Yogurt- Yogurt- the ultimate functional foodthe ultimate functional food

• Probiotics- products that contain Probiotics- products that contain health-promoting bacteriahealth-promoting bacteria

• Lactic acid bacteria- slow or Lactic acid bacteria- slow or prevent the initiation of tumorsprevent the initiation of tumors

YogurtYogurt

• CalciumCalcium

• ProteinProtein

• B vitaminsB vitamins

• MineralsMinerals(Bacterial supplements have none of (Bacterial supplements have none of

these added benefits)these added benefits)

CLA- CLA- Conjugated Linoleic AcidConjugated Linoleic Acid• One of the most potent naturally One of the most potent naturally

occurring anti-carcinogensoccurring anti-carcinogens

• A component of animal fatA component of animal fat

• Found in dairy products and Found in dairy products and meatmeat

• Suppresses heart disease in Suppresses heart disease in rabbitsrabbits

CLACLA

Physiological Effects:Physiological Effects:

• Animals eat lessAnimals eat less

• Increased body proteinIncreased body protein

• Decreased body fatDecreased body fat

(re-partitioning agent)(re-partitioning agent)

CLA- CLA- Downside RisksDownside Risks

• Associated with fatty foodsAssociated with fatty foods

• Link to cholesterolLink to cholesterol

• Association of some fats and Association of some fats and cancer(?)cancer(?)

Safety of Functional FoodsSafety of Functional Foods• Complicated inter-play between Complicated inter-play between

bioactive compounds and other bioactive compounds and other substancessubstances

• Lack of research on some Lack of research on some ingredientsingredients

• Supplements vs foodsSupplements vs foods