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.

EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT CARRION (CORPSE) FLOWERS.

When we talk about flowers, what is the first thing that appears in your mind? Probably vibrant colors, nectar, and fragrance, bees and butterflies hovering over the flowers isn’t. Well, that is not always the case, as not all flowers have an appealing fragrance. Carrion flowers or corpse or stinking flowers emit an odor similar to rotting flesh. So why do these flowers stink? These produce stinking smell to attract carrion beetles and different flies as pollinators, probably looking for a prime location to lay their eggs and therefore mostly females visit such plants. The petals of these carrion flowers are typically fleshed-colored and have a dense covering of hairs (like the skin of a mammal).

 Most of the carrion flowers, unlike insect-pollinated flowers, do not reward its pollinators by juicy nectar, though some of them produce nectar. Carrion flowers are most common in plant families like Apocynaceae, Orchidaceae, Araceae, and Aristolochiaceae. The carrion flowers emit oligosulfides (dimethyl mono-, di- and trisulfides) responsible for the characteristic odor of rotten flesh. These oligosulfides result from protein degradation, particularly the result of sulfur-containing amino acids like methionine and cysteine. The antennae of these carrion flies and beetles respond to dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl trisulfide. Below includes a list of five plants known as carrion flowers:

1. Amorphophallus titanum (titan arum)

This plant produces the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world up to 3 m tall, It does not bloom annually, in cultivation it blooms after 7-10 years. The flower opens for only 48 hrs and when it blooms it produces heat  (32℃) to spread smell and attract pollinators. It is native to tropical rainforests of Sumatra and Indonesia.

2.Rafflesia arnoldi

It is the single largest flower about 3 ft across, found in the rainforests of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines. It is a parasitic plant and doesn’t have visible roots, stems, and leaves.  It is commonly known as corpse lily and considered rarest because of its large gigantic petals. The bloom is hollow at the center, white and red-spotted with five petals. It grows inside its host Tetrasigma vine of grape family and thus lives inside the woody stems and roots of its host. It becomes only visible when its bud emerges out of the bark and develops into a flower. Sir Raffles was the one who first discovered it in Sumatra, along with his friend Dr. Joseph Arnold, after whom R. arnoldii is named. 

3.Stapelia gigantea (Zulu giant)

These are low perennial succulents that belong to the milkweed family and are a native of dry desert areas like Tanzania and South Africa. Its flowers are hairy to imitate the appearance of a small dead animal, star-shaped and generate odor of rotten flesh. Its flowers can reach up to 16 inches in diameter when in bloom.  Thus, its hairs, coloration, and surface mimic decaying organic matter and its smell attracts pollinators that collect pollen before they fly away.

 4.Smilax herbaceae

Smilax from Greek meaning “rasping” regarding thorns and herbaceae from Latin refers to a herb (non-woody). It belongs to the catbrier family, is a climber with simple alternate leaves. We commonly know it as Jacob’s-ladder or smooth carrion flower. The plant reaches a height of about 2.1m and is Native of North America. The plant bears green to yellowish flowers in spring. The flowers are carrion scented to attract flies, which are the main pollinators. The shiny carrion flies often hang out near the flowers to find a place to lay their eggs. We can eat its growing tips and unfolding leaves raw as a salad. 

5.Bulbophyllum phalaenopsis

 It is a species of orchid that is a monstrous plant from lowland Papua New Guinea. We well know it is well for its stinky flowers and long leaves. It gets its name because of its foliage, similar to Phalaenopsis, not flowers. The plant bears a hairy, pinkish-red flower that smells like dead mice and its petals resemble decaying flesh.

So why are carrion flowers like titan arum so huge? It is so as during night time the cool air forms beneath the tree canopy and this prevents the plants smell to rise. Thus, they grow tall and shoots hot steam, helping the scent to rise above the crown of trees to attract the pollinators. This is however energetically expensive for the plant, and thus it blooms for only two nights. 

PIGMENTS: door to our colorful world.

Aren’t we fascinated by the colorful world around us so what is it that makes our world so colorful and vibrant? The answer lies in the presence of “pigments,”, a coloring matter found in the cells of both plants and animals. These pigments are responsible for the diverse colors we see around us. The biological pigments produced by living organisms absorb certain wavelengths of light and reflect others. We are all familiar with the green pigment chlorophyll that plants possess to trap light energy to carry out photosynthesis. Besides photosynthesis, plant pigments also help to attract insects for pollination, ultimately helping in fruit formation. But why do animals produce pigments? Animals have dark pigments like melanin (in skin, eyes, and fur) and its main purpose is to prevent damage caused to the tissues by the UV (ultra-violet) light.

MAJOR PIGMENTS IN PLANTS

The principal pigments in plants are Chlorophyll, Carotenoids, Flavonoids, and Betalains.

Chlorophyll is one of the major pigments found in plants that imparts a green color to the foliage and leaves. Besides plants, cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and algae possess chlorophyll. Chlorophyll mainly absorbs red light (long wavelength) and blue light (short wavelength) of the visible spectrum and reflects the green spectrum. Chlorophyll is of five main types Chlorophylls a, b, c, d and related molecule bacteriochlorophyll found in prokaryotes.

Carotenoids (carotenes and xanthophylls) are the plant pigments responsible for bright red, yellow and orange colors of fruits and vegetables (e.g., pumpkins, carrots, corn, tomatoes). It is produced not only by plants and algae and by bacteria and fungi. Carotenoids absorb light in the blue-green and violet region and reflect orange, red, and yellow wavelengths of light. Carotenoids perform an important function in photosynthesis and photoprotection. Carotenoids are beneficial antioxidants that protect us from various diseases. Provitamin A carotenoids can be converted into vitamin A and are important for eye health.

Flavonoids, its common types include anthocyanins, aurones, flavonols, and proanthocyanidins. Flavonoids are abundant in the plants and most important for flower coloration. They produce yellow or red/blue pigmentation in petals aiding in attracting insects for pollination. In higher plants, flavonoids filter UV light and are also involved in symbiotic nitrogen fixation and pigmentation in flowers. Flavonoids also play an important role in plant defense. Flavonoids are synthesized only in the plants and they exhibit antioxidant activity.

Betalains, its common type includes betacyanins, and betaxanthins are a group of reddish pigments. In the plant kingdom, we find these in the leaves, roots, stalks, flowers, fruits, seeds and grains. Red beetroot, amaranth, prickly pear, and red pitahaya contain betalains. Betalains also contain antioxidant properties.

PIGMENTS IN AMINALS

The main pigment found in most of the mammals is the melanin, present in special cells called chromatophores and is responsible for eyes, skin, hair and fur color. Melanin protects the skin from harmful ultraviolet rays. The integuments of birds contain two different forms of melanin: Eumelanin (responsible for black, brown or grey coloration) and Pheomelanin (produces lighter yellowish to reddish coloration). However, most pigments are not made in the body, animals consume different things in their diet that impart them a certain color, for example, flamingoes are not pink. They are born grey but their diet comprises blue-green algae and brine shrimp, which turn them pink because of natural pink dye called canthaxanthin. Similarly, blue-footed boobies have bright blue feet to attract mates. Their blue color feet results from carotenoid pigments of their fishy diet.

Blue pigment is the rarest pigment in nature, and it is considered tough for a bird's body to create through dietary pigments. Blue color birds result from an illusion, such birds have special structures in their feathers that break up the light and reflect only blue. This is considered true for blue and green birds (parrot). Parrots lack any green pigment but appear green because of light scattering (Tyndall effect).  Likewise, blue butterflies appear blue because of the microscopic structure of the scales and because of the interference of light. The only butterfly that produces a blue pigment is an “olive wing” butterfly. Many green snakes and frogs are not green but possess a yellow pigment and blue structural color and these two combined produce green effect.

There are various animals that protect themselves from their predators through their biological pigments i.e., they use their biological pigments to camouflage (e.g., chameleons), for warning coloration and for mimicry.

CELL:THE BASIC UNIT OF LIFE

What are organisms made up of?

 We all are familiar just like a building is made up of bricks similarly the body of all the living organisms is made up of cells defined as “the basic unit of life. It is called so as a cell is the smallest unit that can perform all the processes needed for life or it is also called “the structural and functional unit of life”. Cells are usually not visible to an unaided eye except for amoeba, a paramecium and a human egg that are visible to the human eye.

 Why cells were named so?

 Robert Hooke in 1665 coined the term cell ((L., Cella = hollow space) while observing the cork cells (bark of the tree) under the microscope. The box-like cells (honeycomb-like structures) reminded him of the cells (small rooms) in which monks lived and so he named them as cells (the word cell means a small room in a prison). Robert Hooke observed dead cell walls of plant cells, it was Anton van Leeuwenhoek who in 1674 first observed a single living cell (animalcules) under the microscope. In 1674 he likely observed a protozoan and later saw bacteria. Anton van Leeuwenhoek is also known as the “Father of Microbiology”.

Cells shape, size, and number.

 Cells differ considerably in their shape and size, and this difference exists according to the function they perform. The smallest known cell is PPLO-Pleuropneumonia-like organisms or mycoplasma which is only 10 micrometer in size (1 micrometer is equal to 0.001 mm) while the largest cell is the egg cell of an ostrich (170 mm x 130 mm). In humans, the largest cell is a female ovum, while the smallest is the male gamete (sperm). The longest cell in the human body is the nerve cell.

Animal cells are usually round (spherical) or irregular (e.g., cheek cells) while the plant cells are more rigid and rectangular due to the presence of a cell wall. The shape and size of a cell depend upon:

(a) surface-volume ratio (if the cell is large it has a small surface-area-to-volume ratio, thus diffusion of substances takes a longer time. Thus most cells are small to overcome issues related to the diffusion of substances.)

(b) nucleocytoplasmic ratio(the cytoplasmic area should be just enough which a nucleus can control)

(c)  rate of cellular activity (metabolically active cells are usually smaller)

(d)  cell association (it is important in multicellular organisms that provide cells some amount of rigidity).

 Last, based on the number of cells, organisms are classified as unicellular or multicellular. Unicellular organisms like an amoeba, bacteria, and paramecium comprise one cell, while multicellular organisms are those whose body is made up of over two cells. 

Cell theory

 Cell theory was formulated in the year 1839 by Matthias Schleiden (German botanist) and Theodor Schwann. (German physician and physiologist). Besides other scientists, Rudolf Virchow, the “father of modern pathology” also contributes to this theory. Cell theory proposed that:

1. All living organisms comprise one or more cells.

2. The cell is the structural and functional unit of all living organisms.

3. All cells arise from pre-existing cells.

 Rudolf Virchow (1855) first explained the concept that new cells arise from pre-existing cells (Omnis cellula-e-cellula). He modified the hypothesis given by Schleiden and Schwann that Cells form by free-cell formation, similar to the formation of crystals and this how the cell theory got its final shape.

Amazing facts

 1. Not all organisms comprise cells, like a virus, virions and viroids are commonly referred to as acellular microbes or infectious particles (these are exceptions to the cell theory)

2. The average human body contains approximately 37.2 trillion cells!

3. Some neurons are less than one millimeter, while others may be about a meter long.

4. The largest single-celled organism is Caulerpa taxifolia (an aquatic alga), the single cell is 6-12 inches long.

5. Amongst the plants, the ovule of a cycas is the largest cell.