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When reading food packaging, you may come across the term fortification, commonly found in packaged foods such as milk, cereal, and baby porridge. Have you ever wondered what fortified foods are?
This article will delve into fortified foods, the fortification process, and their health benefits. Let’s read it!
What is Fortified Food?
Fortification is the process of adding nutritional elements to a food to enhance its nutritional quality. Typically, the added nutrients include micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals.
In addition to enriching the nutritional content of food ingredients, the fortification process can also restore nutrients lost during processing. Fortified foods have been proven to reduce the occurrence of micronutrient deficiencies, such as anemia, iodine deficiency, and iron deficiency.
How is the Fortification Process?
The fortification process involves adding fortifiers to food ingredients. Fortificants are chemical substances containing nutritional elements added to food ingredients. Fortificant materials must not impart any smell, texture, or taste when incorporated into food ingredients.
Some Fortified Foods and Beverages
Many fortified foods and beverages can be found in supermarkets. Here are some fortified foods and beverages:
- Cooking oil fortified with vitamin A
- Salt fortified with iodine
- Margarine is fortified with vitamin A and vitamin D.
- Milk fortified with vitamin D and iron
- Baby cereal fortified with iron
- Cereal fortified with vitamin B
- Wheat flour is fortified with folic acid, iron, vitamin B1, and B2.
Benefits of Fortified Foods and Beverages
The benefits of fortified foods and beverages include:
1. Enhancing Nutritional Value
Fortified foods are enriched with various vitamins and minerals not naturally present in those foods, thereby enhancing their nutritional value.
2. Preventing Nutritional Deficiencies
A primary advantage of fortified foods is addressing nutritional deficiencies. For instance, addressing vitamin D deficiency in individuals living in areas with limited sunlight exposure and addressing iron deficiency in pregnant women and children.
3. Supporting Children’s Growth
Children require adequate nutrients for optimal growth and development. Fortified foods, such as cereals and milk enriched with vitamins and minerals, can supplement their nutritional needs.
4. Promoting Reproductive Health
Fortified foods and beverages can also benefit reproductive health. Pregnant women and those planning to conceive need folate. To ensure sufficient folate intake, consuming fortified foods or drinks containing folate is recommended.
5. Assisting Vulnerable Groups
Vulnerable groups like the elderly, pregnant women, or individuals with specific health conditions need additional nutritional intake. Fortified foods can serve as an easy and effective solution to meet their nutritional requirements.
How to Consume Fortified Foods and Beverages
Fortified foods and beverages have been proven to be beneficial in preventing vitamin and mineral deficiencies. However, fortified foods undergo a lengthy processing and packaging process.
This processing often adds sodium and sugar. Therefore, it’s advisable not to rely solely on fortified foods as the sole source of nutrition.
The key to a healthy diet is consuming a variety of foods. So, in addition to fortified foods, one should also consume nutritious foods from natural sources.
Arummi Cashew Milk, One of the Fortified Milks
Arummi cashew milk is one of the fortified beverages. The added vitamins and minerals in Arummi cashew milk include calcium and folic acid, as well as vitamins B2, B12, E, and D.
Arummi Recommendation: Consume Arummi Cashew Milk to Fulfill Your Nutritional Needs!
Arummi cashew milk is fortified with various vitamins and minerals, making it a complete nutritional supplement for the body. Enjoy the creamy, savory, and uniquely sweet taste of Arummi cashew milk.
This cashew milk is available at your nearest supermarket!
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