Are fortified foods essential for healthy living?

Definition

Fortified foods are the foods to which extra vitamins (like vitamins A, B, and D) and minerals (like folic acid, iodine, calcium, and iron) are added. It aims to reduce nutrient deficiency within a population. For example, milk is generally fortified with iron and vitamin D, while to fruit juices calcium is added. Likewise, wheat flour has folic acid, riboflavin, and iron. Thus the main aim of fortification of food is to prevent the deficiency of vitamin A, iron, folic acid, iodine and many more.

Common fortified foods.

1. Cereal and cereal-based products are one of the most commonly fortified foods. These foods are fortified with vitamin A, D, thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folic acid, zinc, iron, and calcium.

2. Fortified salt with iodine helps in the prevention of goiter, especially important to those who don’t consume seafood.

3. Wheat and maize flours are fortified with iron, folic acid, B vitamins, vitamins A and zinc.

4. Milk is commonly fortified with vitamin A, D, and iron. The United States in the 1930s fortified milk with vitamin D to eradicate rickets that were quite common among poor children in the northern United States.

5. Cooking oils and fats: FSSAI has made a fortification of edible oils compulsory because of the widespread use of cooking oils, these are commonly fortified with vitamins A and D. Vitamin A and D were added to vanaspati in India since 1954.

Fortified foods for toddlers, elderly and pregnant women.

Since toddlers are quite choosy in what they eat, it is a common practice to fortify different foods for toddlers with iron and calcium. Although different foods are available, iron-fortified breakfast cereals are common. Other foods fortified with iron include peanut sandwiches, dark chocolate, fruits, vegetables, etc. Toddlers' calcium intake is also increased by means of calcium-fortified cereals and loaves of bread, calcium-fortified orange juice is available. Hershey’s milk booster, chocolate-flavored, is fortified with Vitamin D and Ca.

Malnutrition is also common in the elderly thus they can consume foods fortified with calcium and vitamin D. Calcium-fortified foods like orange juice, fortified soy, almond, and rice beverages helps in the prevention of osteoporosis. Fortified cereals, milk and fortified beverages are also common. Vitamin B12 deficiency is also quite common in them, thus to prevent this they can include fortified cereal, lean meat, and plates of seafood in their diet.

During pregnancy fortified beverages and supplementary foods are given during pregnancy that helps in the prevention of anemia in mother. Iron, zinc, copper, iodine, selenium, vitamins A, D, E, C, B1, B2, B6, and B12, folic acid, niacin, and pantothenic acid are important nutrients that have been included in fortified beverages and supplemental foods for pregnant and lactating women.

Advantage of fortified foods.

1. Help to deliver the necessary amounts of micronutrients.

2. Vitamins and minerals e.g., vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron.

3. Fortified foods reduce the risk of multi-nutrient deficiency.

4. Since nutrients are provided through the regular food supply, it helps to reduce costs.

Disadvantages of fortified foods.

1. Many fortified foods are heavily processed and packaged and thus have high sodium, fat, and sugar content in them.

2. Prolonged cooking of fortified foods causes a 90% loss of vitamin C.

3. Fortification of food is not the ultimate solution to nutrition deficiency.

4. Fortified foods are comparatively more expensive.


Fortified foods or supplements.

It is always advisable to keep a check on the nutrition labels on the packaged goods to see the daily nutrient intake as consumption of fortified foods along with supplements may exceed the daily recommended intake. For example, Calcium is better absorbed and utilized if consumed in smaller amounts spread out during the day. Since Calcium-fortified foods typically contain smaller amounts of calcium than dedicated supplements, calcium-fortified foods are always better than supplements. Also, too much-added calcium increases risk of calcium stones. Thus, fortified foods can help us maintain good health if taken wisely keeping in mind the recommended daily intake.