Fortified and enriched foods… are they really better?
I was lucky enough to be offered a free copy of the Vancouver Sun on the day (Friday) they published a long article about fortified/enriched “super foods,” the lead-off of which appeared on the front page. Now, I’ve always considered “Vitamin A & D Added” to milk to be a good thing. I have also noticed that (Lucerne) unsalted butter is, for some reason, a few cents more. It’s very easy to be seduced by products that boast health benefits. Do not be fooled by cereal boxes that boast about being made with whole grains and having all these essential nutrients if it’s packed with sugar! Admittedly, it’s better than cereals that are not, and have little to offer, and are still packed with sugar, but I digress…
The writers visited a downtown Safeway and found 12 “super foods.” Compared to their regular counterparts, they were either the same price or more expensive. The real debate is whether we need these foods. Basically the answer is yes and no. Yes if you’re anemic and need extra iron in your diet, or if you have other special circumstances. No, for everyone else if only we’d “do what we’re told” and eat a balanced diet! Of course, a balanced diet these days that is truly up to the recommendations would involve us having to eat about 5x as much fruits and vegetables as our predecessors 50 or more years ago due to the decline in vitamin and mineral content. (The report does mention the decline, and Thomas Pawlick’s book, but refers to the issue as “alleged,” essentially failing to acknowledge the fact that is also supported by federal food tables and books such as Randall Fitzgerald’s The Hundred-Year Lie.) At any rate, I try my best, but I’m still a little fuzzy about eggs. I’ve recently heard that the colour of the yolk is meaningless. I prefer to buy PC’s free run eggs because a) they’re free run (not the same as free range), b) they’re brown so I can distinguish shell from flesh easier, and feel like I’m eating something more natural, c) the packaging is transparent and brightly-labeled so I notice the carton in my fridge, and (best of all), d) the packaging is fully recyclable! Styrofoam is not, though it comes in handy at Easter.
A comparison of 3 different types/brands of eggs reveals fascinating results:
Naturegg’s Omega 3
Per 1 large egg (50 g)
Calories 70
Total Fat 4.5 g
Saturated 1.5 g
Trans 0 g
Polyunsaturated 1 g
Omega-6 0.7 g
Omega-3 0.4g
Monounsaturated 1.5 g
Cholesterol 190 mg
Sodium 55 mg
Total carbohydrate 0 g
Protein 6 g
% Daily Value:
Vitamin A 8%
Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 2%
Iron 4%
Vitamin E 50%
Thiamine 2%
Riboflavin 15%
Niacin 6%
Vitamin B6 2%
Folate 15%
Vitamin B12 30%
Pantothenate 15%
Phosphorus 6%
Magnesium 2%
Zinc 4%
Selenium 30%
President’s Choice Free Run Eggs
Per 1 large egg (50g)
differences:
Fat 5 g
(Doesn’t mention polyunsaturated or Omega-3 or -6)
Iron 2%
Nothing after iron is listed on the label.
Born 3 Eggs
differences:
Fat 5 g
Omega-6 0.6 g
Monounsaturated 1.0 g
Vitamin E 35%
Iron 2%
(“Excellent source of Vitamin E” despite being lower than the other two; “No Aniaml by-products or Antibiotics”; “Produced by chickens fed a scientifically researched vegetarian diet.”)
Only vitamins A / E / C, calcium, and iron are listed.
So judging by the nutrition facts, it would seem that the white Omega 3 eggs are the best, right? Well, what about the differences between free range and not? What are the chickens producing the Omega 3 eggs eating, and are they given antibiotics?
Does anyone buy organic free range eggs with nutrition facts they can share for comparison?