Other Myths

• biological meaning of ORAC
• açaí ORAC

 

Summary of what you'll find below

in Myth Buster #3

 

Introduction to Myth Busters

Myths about health benefits and the healing value of berries

or any plant food or juice product come from two sources

• folk or indigenous medicine (no foundations in science)
• misunderstood science or intentional exaggerations used to hype products

Myths gain life in the public when they're used for

marketing and sales, usually by persuasive personal

testimonials of how a product provided benefit to

an individual or small group of people with similar experiences.

Unscientific and nearly impossible to replicate in valid research,

testimonials are wide open to exaggeration and misleading

information motivated to sell a product.

Myths give pizazz for selling.

 

Science, by contrast,

seeks objective information

demonstrated under controlled conditions

of the laboratory or clinic,

then confirmed by expert skeptical peers.

 

This is how science works best -- subject a myth,

subject any unconfirmed concept ---

to a trial by fire ...

the fire of scientific doubt, replication, challenge, scrutiny.

Any concept surviving can be said to

have achieved "significant scientific agreement",

a future topic to be covered more

thoroughly at the Berry Doctor's Journal.

And this is also what most consumers want --

the plain truth.

So we're going to begin Year 3 of the Berry Doctor's Journal

by covering controversial topics in a series of

myth-busting essays, exposing misinformation

about berries and superfruit juice products.

We're going to keep manufacturers and

marketers honest,

and set the record straight.

 

Spoon up the truth about berries.

Let's be skeptical and bust myths.

 

[follow the Wikipedia links]

 

Myth

"I can get 2-3 servings of fruit just by drinking one serving of this superfruit juice. Why bother with eating fruit?"

Busted!

The growing popularity of superfruits has contributed to increased interest in fruit and vegetable consumption.

Parallel to this, however, has been a rise in superfruit juice products that increase marketing pull for manufacturers and caters to consumer desire for new exciting experiences in the convenience of a bottle of juice.

Testimonials from users of superfruit beverages contain comments like

• "This is great! I can take 2-4 ounces of this juice and get 2-3 servings of whole fruit! Why would I bother shopping for and preparing fresh fruit or vegetables for snacks or meals?"
• "It's all the fruit I'm not gonna eat," says one distributor. "I'm gonna drink my fruits!"
• "I want to "dose" my intake of fruits with an easy-to-use juice. This way, I'm boosting my health without the inconvenience and waste of time planning and preparing nutritious meals."

One consumer analyst cited market data that up to 38% of consumers were more likely to substitute superfruit juices for ordinary fruit and vegetables.

 

But what's missing from superfruit juices

that whole foods naturally contain?

Table values are contents

Nutrients	Whole Berries/Foods	Comments on Content	Superfruit Juices	Comments on Content
Vitamins A-C-E	high	optimal	low or absent	vulnerable and diminished by processing
B vitamins	high	optimal	low or absent	vulnerable and diminished by processing
Essential minerals	high	optimal	low or unknown	variably affected by processing
Dietary prebiotic fiber	high	optimal	low or absent	vulnerable and diminished by processing
Dietary insoluble fiber	high	optimal	absent	eliminated
Omega fatty acids	depends on fruit source	optimal if present	absent	eliminated
Edible seeds	depends on fruit source	high nutrient value	absent	eliminated
Edible skin	depends on fruit source	high nutrient value	absent	eliminated
Amino acids	high	optimal	low or absent	vulnerable and diminished by processing
Phytosterols	depends on fruit source	optimal	low or absent	vulnerable and diminished by processing
Antioxidant polyphenols	depends on fruit source	optimal	diminished	vulnerable to processing
Antioxidant carotenoids	depends on fruit source	optimal	diminished	vulnerable to processing

 

When we see the word ‘super’, we may be misled to give the superfruit juice product higher priority as a food source.

The perception is that -- on the antioxidant message alone -- superfruit juices are better than traditional, every day fruits with good nutrient value, like red grapes, strawberries or apples.

Reconsider the table above...

 

The five-a-day program or Color Code diet of using colorful plants foods for your snacks and meals ensure a broad variety of different fruits and vegetables are consumed.

The above table illustrates that whole foods provide the highest nutrient and antioxidant values.

And they provide calories needed to support each day's physical activities.

 

Berries are a color reminder for all diets!

Eat at least 3 different colors of whole foods a day.

Superfruit juices are not so popular in some parts of Europe, such as Spain and Italy, since those countries already have a natural fruit and vegetable-rich diet –- the valued Mediterranean diet which features predominant dietary intake of whole fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, plant oils and fish.

Check out these research reports on the Mediterranean diet, click!

• Giugliano D, Esposito K. Mediterranean diet reduces incidence of inflammation and onset of metabolic diseases. Curr Opin Lipidol. 2008 Feb;19(1):63-8.
• Schröder H. Protective mechanisms of the Mediterranean diet in obesity and type 2 diabetes. J Nutr Biochem. 2007 Mar;18(3):149-60.
• Roman B, Carta L, Martínez-González MA, Serra-Majem L. Effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet in the elderly. Clin Interv Aging. 2008;3(1):97-109.
• Serra-Majem L, Roman B, Estruch R. Scientific evidence supporting the Mediterranean diet. Nutr Rev2006 Feb;64(2 Pt 2):S27-47.

 

News

• Reuters Wire Services, September 11, 2008: Strict Mediterranean diet offers health boost

• Reuters, September 16, 2008: Whole foods help raise levels of enzyme beneficial for aging and immune system support

Quotes from the Sept. 16th article: "The lifestyle changes included a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy products"....

"This is the first study showing that anything can increase telomerase. If it were a new drug that had been shown to do this, it would be a billion-dollar drug. But this is something that people can do for free."

 

NEXT !