What you need to know about Fortified Foods

When you go to the store, have you ever seen some milk powder packets, biscuits, and breakfast cereals with the words 'Fortified with Vitamin D' or 'Added Iron' printed on them? What does 'fortified' mean? Is this really good for our health? Or is this just another advertising ploy? Today, let's talk about Fortified Foods, that is, everything about foods with added nutrients.

Simply put, what are these Fortified Foods?

Fortified food is a food that has been fortified with essential micronutrients , such as vitamins and minerals , that are not naturally present in the food during its production. These micronutrients are essential for many important processes in our body. However, our body cannot produce them on its own; we need to get them from the food we eat. Food companies chemically synthesize these vitamins and minerals and add them to their products. Adding these nutrients does not change the taste, smell, or appearance of the food much.

Why add this extra nutrition to food?

The main reason for this is to improve public health. Sometimes we are not able to get all the nutrients we need, in the required amount, from our regular diet. This can be affected by many things such as economic difficulties, food allergies, being a vegetarian, and the environment we live in. The best example among us in Sri Lanka is Iodized Salt . In the past, a disease called Goiter, which is a swelling of the thyroid gland, was common in some parts of our country. The cause was iodine deficiency. As a solution to this, the government intervened and made it mandatory to add iodine to the salt available in the market. Today, due to this, the incidence of goiter has decreased significantly. The same is true of adding vitamin D to milk. Although milk contains calcium, vitamin D is essential for the body to absorb that calcium well. So, when vitamin D is added to milk, our body is able to get the maximum benefit from the calcium it provides.

What are the most common fortified foods in our country?

Most packaged and processed foods have this type of added nutrition. Next time you go to the store, take a moment to read the labels on these items.

What are the real health benefits of these fortified foods?

There are several benefits to these.

Preventing nutritional deficiency diseases

When our bodies don't get enough of a nutrient, we get sick. This is called nutritional deficiency disease. Fortified foods have made it possible to prevent a large number of such diseases.

• Rickets ( weakening of bones in children): A disease caused by vitamin D deficiency.
• Iron deficiency anemia: A condition that occurs when the body does not have enough iron. This can cause extreme fatigue and lethargy .
• Osteoporosis (thinning of the bones): A condition that causes bones to become brittle due to calcium and vitamin D deficiency, especially in older women.

Very important for pregnant mothers.

During pregnancy, the mother needs more nutrition than usual, because the baby growing in the womb is also nourished by the mother. A vitamin called folic acid is essential during this time. Getting enough folic acid early in pregnancy can prevent neural tube defects in the baby. That is why doctors recommend folic acid tablets to pregnant mothers. You can also get this nutrient through fortified foods.

Strength for the elderly

As we age, our bodies absorb less vitamins and minerals from food. Our appetite may also decrease. This puts older adults at greater risk of developing nutritional deficiencies. Fortified foods can help provide them with the nutrients they need, keep their bones strong, and prevent heart disease.

A contribution to the healthy development of children

Nutrition is essential for a growing child to have strong bones, good brain development, and a healthy immune system. Along with a balanced diet, providing foods fortified with nutrients like iron and vitamin D will help support a child's growth.

Help for those with special dietary needs

Vegetarians have a hard time getting nutrients like vitamin B12, as it's mostly found in animal products. And people who are lactose-intolerant have a hard time getting enough calcium. For these people, foods like fortified cereals with vitamin B12 and soy milk with calcium are very helpful.

Is everything okay? Are there any things to be concerned about?

Although fortified foods are a good thing, there are a few things to be aware of. Another issue is the risk of vitamin overdose . This is rare with fortified foods alone, but there is a risk if you eat a lot of fortified foods and also take vitamin supplements. Too much of anything is not good. Therefore, fortified foods can be a good addition to our diet. But it is not good to rely entirely on them. The nutrition that comes from fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, whole grains, and natural foods is always best. Fortified Foods, Nutrition, Vitamins, Minerals, Healthy Food, Folic Acid, Iron deficiency