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Nutraceuticals: Not a Trick, Only Treats For Kids

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” — Hippocrates

To raise healthy children is every parent’s goal. This starts from pregnancy and continues as the child grows with good medical care, proper diet, and active lifestyle. However, diet and exercise are sometimes not enough as digestive issues and vitamin deficiencies are inevitable despite our best efforts. This is where the role of nutraceuticals comes into play.

Nutraceuticals can be in the form of multivitamins which serve as supplements for nutrient deficiencies. From Hero National Products, CA, the makers of Yummi Bears and Yummi Blast children’s multivitamins supplements, Jim Studer has mentioned how children are notoriously picky eaters which results in not getting the adequate nutrients, vitamins, and minerals they need to stay healthy (Wright, 2005). Through the marvel of nutraceuticals, this compensates nutritional deficiencies in a fun way to acquire the nutrients children need daily.

As the relationship of food and diseases and costs of healthcare progress over the decades, the leading health conditions affecting children have opened doors in the nutraceutical industry which is evident in the trend in the kid’s food and beverage market with the rise of products addressing immunity, cognitive health, bone health, and obesity (Pushpangadan et al., 2014; Ohr, 2010). Prabu et al. (2012) discussed how nutraceutical products offer health benefits on reducing the risk of numerous chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity, osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis and more. These also help in improving physiological and cognitive function by treating headaches, constipation, and diminished memory. Furthermore, findings of improved cognitive function in children within a period of 23 weeks were reported by Roberts et al. (2020) in assessing food supplements in relation to improving cognitive memory, along with hemoglobin levels, growth, body composition, and cerebral blood flow, in children at risk of undernutrition. Backed up by science and research, nutraceuticals are established to improve health and prevent chronic diseases which are greatly beneficial for children as they need adequate nutrients to grow and develop holistically.

Nutraceuticals level up the nutrition children get by offering a combination of nutritional properties with medicinal value. Eating healthy would mean a whole lot more than just images of broccolis and apples with the different enticing flavors and colors packed in nutritious goodies available in the market. This is what scientists call ���optimal nutrition”. This is what your kids deserve.  

Nutraceuticals are significant natural bioactive compounds that offer health and medical benefits to people. The “nutraceuticals” terminology was coined by Dr. Stephen L. De Felice in 1989, founder and chairman of the Foundation for Advancement in Medicine, an American association that promotes medical health research (Catinean et al., 2018). He described a nutraceutical as a food component that promotes health benefits, including disease prevention and treatment by linking nutrition to the pharmaceutical field. Nutraceuticals, commonly known as medical foods, functional foods, designer foods, and nutritional supplements, are product isolated or purified food substances that are usually marketed in therapeutic ways (Sheeshka & Lacroix, 2008). These include nutritional and medicinal functional foods such as milk, cereals, fortified dairy products, supplements, vitamins, herbals, citrus fruits, and more.  

Microbial biotechnology is one of the leading key factors in the development of economically valuable chemical and biological products as well as agricultural and environmental agents with the use of promising microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and microalgae (Liakopoulou-kyriakides & Vázquez, 2011). Microbial production platforms are considered to be an eco-friendly approach for the production of value-added nutraceuticals obtained from simple carbon sources. In this regard, Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae are utilized to produce complex and diverse chemicals namely, prebiotics, poly amino acids, phytochemicals, and polysaccharides due to their versatility as cell factories (Wang, Guleria, Koffas & Yan, 2015).  

Nutraceuticals market in the Philippines is currently in its infancy stage due to the dependence on traditional pharmaceutical medicine system by the country’s growing middle class population, which accounts for the majority of the Filipino population. Progress in the nutraceutical industry is evident during the 2012-2017 review period, and is expected to further expand from year 2020 onwards due to the rising awareness of nutraceuticals’ benefits among the youth through media, internet, and medical sources. Food companies are now offering food modernization and modest improvements such as reduced salt or fat levels, less sugar content and the likes. Conversely, pharmaceutical companies are now beginning to generate new medical professionals and pharmacists targeted consumer health compounds. All of these factors will contribute to the expansion of the nutraceuticals market in the Philippines, together with higher revenue generation opportunities in the future.

In order to address kids’ immunity, bone health, cognitive health, and obesity, locally produced nutraceutical products are available which typically include omega-3 fatty acids, yeast fermentates, probiotics, prebiotics, vitamins, minerals, and whole grains. Some examples of leading nutraceutical products in the local market include: Cherifer with PGM (Pubertal Growth Maximizer), Centrum multivitamins for kids, PedZinc plus C, Ceelin, and various other nutraceuticals in the form of beverages.  

But, what if your kids refuse to take their nutraceuticals? It’s a known fact that kids hate taking their medicine. So, how would nutraceuticals be appealing to kids? Fear not because there are ways to make this stress-free for you and your children! For one, we should inform the children about the benefits of what they are taking in the most comprehensive way possible. The information has to be appealing for them! Instead of forcing the kids to take the tablet, make them understand why they have to take it in a way they could relate to. No kid, or even adult, would like having things forced onto them without knowing why. Second, find the best nutraceutical which could work for your kids. If they have trouble swallowing tablets, look for flavored chewables. Better yet, give them syrups that would be suitable for their palates. Children would appreciate this option the most, especially with the availability of strawberry flavored syrup that was also a nutraceutical in the market. Because of this, taking medicines would be enjoyable until the children would reach an age that would be mature enough for tablets. Lastly, if your child is too stubborn, find the root of your problem. Based on previous experience, children do not like medicine due to their taste, form, or the fact that their parents are forcing them to. Find a solution based on the problem, and do not forget to let your kids make their own choices! Give them the option of choosing whether they take their medicine before or after taking a shower, in the kitchen or in the bedroom, via cup or syringe. Compromise with your child and reward them, as they can be motivated by incentives. If you are able to find the problem, the solution will follow if you put effort into it. Don’t forget, make taking nutraceuticals fun and creative for your kids!

Nourishment is the process of getting food in our bodies and using it as unrefined materials as fuel for energy, vitamins, and minerals that keep our body functioning well and healthy. Parents should show concern and pay attention over their kids' eating habits because it is their responsibility to ensure that their children would grow up healthy. Here are a few ideas that will encourage your kids to eat their greens; spike up your kids' meals with fresh fruit and vegetables, a variety of food within and between meals will guarantee that your kids get all the nutrients they need. Additionally, a blend of colors and shapes with simple flavors is a good way of attracting and training kids in eating a healthy meal instead of fast food or sweets. Fast food per se is not bad, but it becomes a health risk when it replaces children’s regular meals all the time, as this will lead to deprivation of their nutrients such as vitamins. Furthermore, fatty foods stimulate contractions in the digestive tract, which can either slow down the emptying of the stomach and worsen constipation, or speed up movement, leading to or worsening diarrhea. To prevent your child from experiencing this, you should limit food that is high in fat in their diet and pair fatty foods with high-fiber foods for easier digestion. Always keep in mind that it is vital to get your children an early start on eating healthy meals, to eat in moderation, and refrain from fatty food. These will establish good nutritional habits in your child, and it will become part of their lifestyle for the rest of their life.

References:

Catinean, A., Neag, M. A., Muntean, D. M., Ioana, C. B., & Buzoianu, A. D. (2018). An overview on the interplay between nutraceuticals and gut microbiota. PeerJ, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4465

Liakopoulou-kyriakides, M., & Vázquez, R. V. (2011). 1st international conference on advances in biotechnology-industrial microbial biotechnology. Reviews in Environmental Science and Biotechnology, 10(2), 123-124. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11157-011-9234-y

Ohr, L. M. (2010). Connecting with Kids - IFT.org. Institute of Food Technologists. https://www.ift.org/news-and-publications/food-technology-magazine/issues/2010/november/columns/nutraceuticals

PR Newswire Association (2019). Philippines Nutraceuticals Markets, 2012-2017 & 2018-2022. Retrieved December 11, 2020, from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/philippines-nutraceuticals-markets-2012-2017--2018-2022-300951735.html

Prabu, S. L., Suriyaprakash, T. N. K., Kumar, C. D., & Kumar, S. S. (2012). Nutraceuticals and their medicinal importance. International Journal of Health & Allied Sciences, 1(2), 47. https://doi.org/10.4103/2278-344x.101661

Pushpangadan, P., George, V., Sreedevi, P., Bincy, A. J., Anzar, S., Aswany, T., Ninawe, A. S., & Ijinu, T. P. (2014). Functional foods and nutraceuticals with special focus on mother and child care. Annals of Phytomedicine, 3(1), 4–23. 

Roberts, S. B., Franceschini, M. A., Silver, R. E., Taylor, S. F., de Sa, A. B., Có, R., Sonco, A., Krauss, A., Taetzsch, A., Webb, P., Das, S. K., Chen, C.-Y., Rogers, B. L., Saltzman, E., Lin, P.-Y., Schlossman, N., Pruzensky, W., Balé, C., Chui, K. K. H., & Muentener, P. (2020). Effects of food supplementation on cognitive function, cerebral blood flow, and nutritional status in young children at risk of undernutrition: randomized controlled trial. BMJ, m2397. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2397

Sheeshka, Judy,PhD., R.D., & Lacroix, Bonnie J, PhD,P.H.Ec, R.D. (2008). Canadian dietitians' attitudes toward functional foods and nutraceuticals. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 69(3), 119-25. Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/canadian-dietitians-attitudes-toward-functional/docview/220823542/se-2?accountid=28547

Wang, J., Guleria, D., Koffas, S., & Yan, Y. (2015). Microbial production of value-added nutraceuticals. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 37, 97-104.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2015.11.003

Wright, T., (2005). Nutraceuticals For Children: A Focus On Obesity. [online] Nutraceuticals World. Available at: <https://www.nutraceuticalsworld.com/issues/2005-06/view_features/nutraceuticals-for-children-a-focus-on-obesity/>