Not all 'natural' are safe
>> Monday, April 4, 2022
WELLNEWS
Victor
Romulo Gallardo Dumaguing MD
The Covid 19 pandemic
has brought significant changes in the life of humankind, an understatement,
considering the havoc it has spread into every aspect of daily life of all
people in the world, in a way “democratizing and putting on equal footing man
and woman of royal blood lineage as well as the pauper, also of presidents as
well as street sweeper, doctors as well as the hospital attendants- they all
were helpless victims of SARS CoV 2 virus.
The global threat and concern about contagion with the corona virus, which overflowed into fear, even paranoia and admittedly, some form of hypochondriasis, have spawned a multibillion industry of health products, with the hashtags of providing “immunity, protection, and shield against the virus.” So there’s the legitimate race of pharmaceutical companies to formulate more vaccines and oral medicines to contain and manage the onslaught of the virus which like a wayward train continues, with its worrisome variants, to cause layers of clinical signs and symptoms of Covid 19. Nutriceuticals- so-called because of a combination of “nutrients and pharmaceuticals” have mushroomed all over, with claims to aid in strengthening immunity thus decreasing and even some claiming to prevent the entry of the virus into the body.
All of a sudden, trimedia outlets are awash with “natural food, natural supplements”. FDAs worldwide, including the Philippines, do not have a formal definition of the word “natural”. At least, as a concession, the FDA does not object to the term if a food does not contain added colors, artificial flavors or synthetic substances.
Another word used in promotional advertisements of health products is the word” organic” which from a stricter perspective of the US Department of Agriculture , “ requires the food to be produced according to stringent farming and production standards, without genetic engineering, radiation, sewage sludge or synthetic pesticides and insecticides.”
Animals raised on organic farms receive no antibiotics or growth hormones are given feed that has been grown organically- so-called free range environment-, in which the animal is allowed to roam around, not confined to cages or fences. Moreover, if processed, the organic food must not contain synthetic additives, only then will it get a 95% label s organic food by the USDA.
Organic foods do not appear to have a nutritional advantage over conventionally grown food, aside from the possibility that with the later method, pesticides and insecticides may have been used. There is not enough information or evidence if the lack of hormones and antibiotics in organic animal products makes them healthier, thus safer, than conventional animal products, although it is a reasonable possibility. Some research and studies have shown that pasture-raised chicken contains more omega-3 fatty acids, grass-feed cows yield leaner beef, while salmon caught in the wilds have much lower levels of toxins.
Closely related to “natural. Organic foods’ are the so-called GMOs- genetically modified organisms- which are created when scientists alter or change the DNA of plants to make them more resistant to diseases caused by bugs, fungi or to resist, neutralize the effects of pesticides. It is still heavily debated whether using GMOs alters the nutritional quality of food or poses a threat to health. Certified organic food is free of GMOs.
As a rejoinder, it’s useful to stress that all lot of food or medicines for that matter, are derived from natural sources. Acetyl salicylic acid- aspirin – has been extracted from the bark of the cinchona tree or Chinese willow. The origin of the most potent clinically approved pain reliever-morphine- has been synthesized from Papaver somniferum which is derived from the poppy plant. And on the negative side, because of its favored attraction to addicts, cocaine has its origin from plant which grows abundantly in South America-herb which yields Erythroxylon coca.
Organic and “natural foods or supplements” are more expensive than conventionally produced foods and probably more costly because of the talent fee demanded by celebrity endorsers like athletes, movie stars, beauty queens and even religious leaders. Question is, are they worth it? There is no clear answer. However, it’s always best to go with non-processed food products, and instead of the capsule or tablet form of vitamins and minerals, it makes sense if you eat the fruits and veggies grown in your own garden or fresh from the farm harvest in your friendly market place.
Next Week: Be Careful about Exaggerated Benefits of Food Supplements
The global threat and concern about contagion with the corona virus, which overflowed into fear, even paranoia and admittedly, some form of hypochondriasis, have spawned a multibillion industry of health products, with the hashtags of providing “immunity, protection, and shield against the virus.” So there’s the legitimate race of pharmaceutical companies to formulate more vaccines and oral medicines to contain and manage the onslaught of the virus which like a wayward train continues, with its worrisome variants, to cause layers of clinical signs and symptoms of Covid 19. Nutriceuticals- so-called because of a combination of “nutrients and pharmaceuticals” have mushroomed all over, with claims to aid in strengthening immunity thus decreasing and even some claiming to prevent the entry of the virus into the body.
All of a sudden, trimedia outlets are awash with “natural food, natural supplements”. FDAs worldwide, including the Philippines, do not have a formal definition of the word “natural”. At least, as a concession, the FDA does not object to the term if a food does not contain added colors, artificial flavors or synthetic substances.
Another word used in promotional advertisements of health products is the word” organic” which from a stricter perspective of the US Department of Agriculture , “ requires the food to be produced according to stringent farming and production standards, without genetic engineering, radiation, sewage sludge or synthetic pesticides and insecticides.”
Animals raised on organic farms receive no antibiotics or growth hormones are given feed that has been grown organically- so-called free range environment-, in which the animal is allowed to roam around, not confined to cages or fences. Moreover, if processed, the organic food must not contain synthetic additives, only then will it get a 95% label s organic food by the USDA.
Organic foods do not appear to have a nutritional advantage over conventionally grown food, aside from the possibility that with the later method, pesticides and insecticides may have been used. There is not enough information or evidence if the lack of hormones and antibiotics in organic animal products makes them healthier, thus safer, than conventional animal products, although it is a reasonable possibility. Some research and studies have shown that pasture-raised chicken contains more omega-3 fatty acids, grass-feed cows yield leaner beef, while salmon caught in the wilds have much lower levels of toxins.
Closely related to “natural. Organic foods’ are the so-called GMOs- genetically modified organisms- which are created when scientists alter or change the DNA of plants to make them more resistant to diseases caused by bugs, fungi or to resist, neutralize the effects of pesticides. It is still heavily debated whether using GMOs alters the nutritional quality of food or poses a threat to health. Certified organic food is free of GMOs.
As a rejoinder, it’s useful to stress that all lot of food or medicines for that matter, are derived from natural sources. Acetyl salicylic acid- aspirin – has been extracted from the bark of the cinchona tree or Chinese willow. The origin of the most potent clinically approved pain reliever-morphine- has been synthesized from Papaver somniferum which is derived from the poppy plant. And on the negative side, because of its favored attraction to addicts, cocaine has its origin from plant which grows abundantly in South America-herb which yields Erythroxylon coca.
Organic and “natural foods or supplements” are more expensive than conventionally produced foods and probably more costly because of the talent fee demanded by celebrity endorsers like athletes, movie stars, beauty queens and even religious leaders. Question is, are they worth it? There is no clear answer. However, it’s always best to go with non-processed food products, and instead of the capsule or tablet form of vitamins and minerals, it makes sense if you eat the fruits and veggies grown in your own garden or fresh from the farm harvest in your friendly market place.
Next Week: Be Careful about Exaggerated Benefits of Food Supplements
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