HEALTH UPDATES

Drink Your Way to Health

The hottest new antioxidants deliver health benefits in a beverage

Looking for the latest and greatest antioxidant? This article reviews two hot antioxidants – superfruits and resveratrol – both of which are receiving attention and interest by consumers and researchers alike.

Superfruits. According to Datamonitor, one of the top 10 food trends in 2008 is superfruits for the masses. High nutrient superfruits like acai, goji berry (wolfberry), noni and even pomegranate have recently been popping up in a widening array of food and beverage products sold though health and natural foods stores. Other popular superfruits include acerola cherry, mangosteen, camu camu, and coffeeberry.

Look for superfruits to go mainstream in 2008 as larger companies begin to get into the game. This could also be a great year for emerging superfruits like yumberry. This subtropical fruit has been harvested for over 2,000 years in China, but is new to most of the rest of the world.

What makes these drinks so popular is that they deliver a large dose of antioxidant nutrients in a pleasant-tasting format, while simultaneously packing a punch in terms of their energy-boosting and health-giving properties. For some, this represents a much simpler way of boosting their antioxidant intake especially if they’re not eating the recommended 9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. And, this turns out to be most Americans.

Part of the reason for the popularity in superfruits may be driven by the negative press that some antioxidants have received in recent years. A good example is vitamin E. A meta-analysis (pooling data from several studies) conducted four years ago, asserted that high doses of vitamin E might be associated with an increase in mortality. However, the meta-analysis looked at studies that used different doses and forms of vitamin E. In addition, the study groups examined patients that were chronically ill. The fact that high doses of vitamin E were associated with a slight increase in mortality in a sick population provided no evidence that vitamin E is harmful to normal, healthy people.

As was the case with the vitamin E meta-analysis, the media often report study results by focusing on headlines that draw attention. And, as it turns out, this viewpoint is not necessarily balanced. Given this sort of reporting and the confusion that ensues, it’s not surprising that many consumers have shifted from some supplements to functional foods to help meet their daily nutritional requirements.

Resveratrol. Although the French have a diet famously rich in fats, they have lower rates of cardiovascular disease than other developed nations including the U.S. The reason for this so-called “French paradox” may lie in their high consumption of red wine which contains a natural compound called resveratrol.

Several studies conducted on a variety of animals including roundworms, fruit flies, fish and rodents have shown that resveratrol can extend lifespan by 20%. The mechanism of action for extending life seems to be the same as that for caloric restriction. Caloric restriction cuts normal calorie intake by a third or so. Researchers believe that by shifting the body’s focus from fertility to tissue maintenance, longevity is extended. Indeed, animal studies have demonstrated that by significantly reducing caloric intake, longevity is extended by 30-40%.

One theory is that resveratrol slows down the aging process by activating protein agents called sirtuins. Sirtuin activity is inhibited by nicotinamide (vitamin B3) which binds to a specific receptor site. By interfering with this binding, resveratrol increases sirtuin activity. Sirtuins may be able to control degenerative diseases of aging like Alzheimer’s, cancer and Parkinson’s disease.

Early studies indicated that to obtain the same beneficial effects of resveratrol, humans would need to drink over 100 bottles of red wine a day. However, more recent studies indicate that much lower doses – a mere four, five-ounce glasses of red wine a day - may be required to get the same effect.

In an effort to capitalize on the interest in resveratrol, some companies started offering supplements with resveratrol extracted from wine and a Chinese plant called giant knotweed. But, the market potential was indicated last month when Sirtris - a startup company developing drugs to activate sirtuins - was sold to GlaxoSmithKline for $720 million. Like resveratrol, these drugs stimulate sirtuins but their molecules are smaller, more stable and can be given in smaller doses.

Drink to your health. The ideal way to obtain all of the health benefits of fruits and vegetables is by eating them fresh. However, for those individuals who can’t fit this into their lifestyle, supplementing their diet on a daily basis with a superfruit beverage may be the next best choice. Keep in mind that some of these beverages have a high calorie content and are more expensive than their fresh fruit counterparts. For those who enjoy an occasional glass of red wine with dinner, the good news is that this ritual not only enhances the food but may help you to live a bit longer. That’s something we can all toast to.