Functional Food
Customized options address your health
By Shelley Burns
Originally published in Skin Deep, September/October 2009. Copyright 2009. Associated Skin Care Professionals. All right reserved.
It's easy to walk into a grocery store these days and see food products advertising health and beauty. Calcium-enriched orange juice, omega 3 eggs, probiotic yogurt, and vitamin water--all are promoting health in some way, shape, or form. This is just the beginning of what's been dubbed the "functional food revolution." In the not-too-distant future, you may be able to buy customized foods that address your specific health concerns.
Many of these functional foods sound wonderful, but they don't have enough active ingredients like vitamins and minerals to have a real impact on one's health. One example of a product that does seem to live up to its billing is called glowelle, made by Nestl. Touted as a beauty drink, it's a dietary supplement with an interesting and high-quality ingredient list.
Nestl experts have done their research. It appears they understand the importance of free radical damage and its impact on skin health. Free radicals can break down collagen and elastin, causing fine lines and wrinkles. They can be quenched by such antioxidants as vitamins C and E, to name a few. Quoting the product's website: "The trick is making sure you always have more antioxidants than free radicals in your system."
Glowelle beauty drinks and powder sticks contain antioxidants to feed skin from the inside out. These include coenzyme Q10, green and white tea extracts, lycopene, as well as vitamins C and E. It also contains quercetin, an anti-inflammatory flavonoid found in citrus fruits and berries. This component helps dampen the inflammatory process that causes skin redness and blemishes.
This beauty drink has a therapeutic dosage of each ingredient, meaning there is enough of each ingredient to have a positive effect on skin health.
While, ultimately, eating the recommended daily servings of dark, leafy greens and vibrantly colored fruits and vegetables is the best way to feed your body (and skin), functional foods are on the rise and may prove even more advantageous to healthy skin as the industry matures.
Shelley Burns, a doctor of naturopathic medicine, completed studies at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and has certification in complementary and integrative medicine from Harvard University. She can be reached at the Scienta Health Centre at 416-222-5880 or shelley.burns@scientahealth.com.
It's easy to walk into a grocery store these days and see food products advertising health and beauty. Calcium-enriched orange juice, omega 3 eggs, probiotic yogurt, and vitamin water--all are promoting health in some way, shape, or form. This is just the beginning of what's been dubbed the "functional food revolution." In the not-too-distant future, you may be able to buy customized foods that address your specific health concerns.
Many of these functional foods sound wonderful, but they don't have enough active ingredients like vitamins and minerals to have a real impact on one's health. One example of a product that does seem to live up to its billing is called glowelle, made by Nestl. Touted as a beauty drink, it's a dietary supplement with an interesting and high-quality ingredient list.
Nestl experts have done their research. It appears they understand the importance of free radical damage and its impact on skin health. Free radicals can break down collagen and elastin, causing fine lines and wrinkles. They can be quenched by such antioxidants as vitamins C and E, to name a few. Quoting the product's website: "The trick is making sure you always have more antioxidants than free radicals in your system."
Glowelle beauty drinks and powder sticks contain antioxidants to feed skin from the inside out. These include coenzyme Q10, green and white tea extracts, lycopene, as well as vitamins C and E. It also contains quercetin, an anti-inflammatory flavonoid found in citrus fruits and berries. This component helps dampen the inflammatory process that causes skin redness and blemishes.
This beauty drink has a therapeutic dosage of each ingredient, meaning there is enough of each ingredient to have a positive effect on skin health.
While, ultimately, eating the recommended daily servings of dark, leafy greens and vibrantly colored fruits and vegetables is the best way to feed your body (and skin), functional foods are on the rise and may prove even more advantageous to healthy skin as the industry matures.
Shelley Burns, a doctor of naturopathic medicine, completed studies at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and has certification in complementary and integrative medicine from Harvard University. She can be reached at the Scienta Health Centre at 416-222-5880 or shelley.burns@scientahealth.com.
