A popular food trend is “functional foods”. A functional food is one that may provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Sometimes substances like extra vitamins, minerals, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids are added during processing to enhance the health benefits of a particular product. In this blog, I will be writing about a particular functional food each week.
Many of you may like to begin your day with a glass of orange juice. Did you know that Tropicana has a new product (Healthy Heart with Omega-3) that will help you obtain omega-3 fatty acids just by drinking orange juice? The label states that in an 8 fluid ounce serving, there are 50 mg of DHA and EPA (two types of omega-3 fatty acids). The recommended daily value is 160 mg. Thus, by drinking one cup of this orange juice, you can get 30% of your daily value of DHA/EPA.
How do these omega-3 fatty acids (not naturally found in oranges) get into the juice? This orange juice is fortified with MEG-3 (fish oil and fish gelatin), a product of Ocean Nutrition Canada. Fish, flax seed, kiwi fruit, eggs, and nuts (walnuts, pecans, hazel nuts) are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
By now you may be wondering why omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial. Omega-3 fatty acids may help to prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease, they may strengthen your immune system, help alleviate rheumatoid arthritis, and help your brain to stay healthy.
Tropicana Healthy Heart with Omega-3 Orange Juice is one product that may help you get an adequate amount of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids each day. So to that, I say “cheers”!
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