RE-EMERGENCE OF CHEA-THE GREAT "OBSCURE" FOOD GRAIN

Searching for ways and means to stay disease free and live long, man spares no efforts and such motivation brings in innovations which can help in alleviating many human miseries. But in such an hectic pursuit, can those, who are fortunate enough to have whatever they want, ignore other less fortunate co-inhabitants in this planet who strive hard to have access to minimum food that can keep their body and soul together? Or is it too much to expect such humane feelings from them, hardened as they are, because they are used to such an inequitable environment with hardly any emotion or thoughts for their unlucky brethren? Rich countries like America, Canada, the EU and a few others do donate food as well as cash to starving people in many poor countries but such efforts do not achieve much though it does bring temporary solace and succor to millions of people. 

How many people can recall the sudden emergence of Oats a couple of decades ago as a super health grain with unlimited virtues and to day it provides billions of dollars of business to a few multinational food companies capitalizing on the supposed benefits from consuming this grain. Interestingly oats when harvested and grains separated from the chaff is a tough grain and it takes hours of cooking to make it edible. The raw oats indeed has a low Glycemic Index (GI) which makes it ideal for those having diabetes or over weight problem. See what has happened to this commodity over a period of time with half a dozen processed products launched by the industry with characteristics like quick cooking, artificial flavors, vegetable and fruit fortified etc. Presence of fruit and vegetables is indeed welcome but what quantities are added is more important. According to available data they do not even constitute 5% of the final product raising the inconvenient question whether they are really relevant at all! It is another matter that in the name of value addition the prices charged for these products became almost scandalous! Oats which horses used to consume has become a rare component of horse feed these days with Soy and Corn replacing it every where. 

It was not long ago that Quinoa, labeled a wonder grain with 3000 year of history behind it, came on the scene and the whole health "lobby" started singing on the remarkable nutritive qualities of this grain. There is no dispute on this count because Quinoa is a grain par excellence in terms of nutrition and human health. This grain became a darling of the health faddists because of its good quality protein, high dietary fiber, high potassium and magnesium besides being reasonably low in glycemic index value. But the limited global production estimated at about 80000 tons per year, coming mainly from Peru and Bolivia made it highly expensive, almost $ 3-8 per kg, unaffordable to many. Still Quinoa is still preferred by many health conscious consumers because of its better nutritional value compared to many other grains. A special quality of Quinoa is that it sprouts rapidly in 2-4 hours compared to minimum 12 hours taken by other grains and can be conveniently used in cold salads. On the flip side Quinoa has a bitter saponin coating which needs to be removed through processing.

Latest to emerge in the healthscape is the so called super grain "Chea", an ancient crop with roots in South American countries of Mexico and Guatemala because of its high Omega- 3 fatty acids, even comparable to fish. The small seeds contain about 25-30% extractable oil, out of which 55% is alpha linolenic acid, a nutritionally important Omega-3 acid which gets converted to the long chain Omega-3 acid Eicosopentaenoic acid (EPA). EPA is health wise important as it has proven to have cardioprotective properties in humans preventing heart attacks.  From its earlier incarnation a few years ago as can ornamental plant Chia has become one of the most sought after health grains globally. Its production is very limited confined to countries like Mexico, Bolivia, Argentina, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Australia and Guatemala. A one ounce serving of Chia provides 9 gm of fat, 11 gm of Dietary Fiber, 4 gm of protein, low Sodium of 5 mg and 1 gm minerals.   

According to some reports whole and ground Chia seeds are being added to fruit drinks, snack foods and cereals, besides being offered as an ingredient for incorporation in baked goods like cookies and for sprinkling on yogurt preparations. It also has high levels of oxy radical bursting antioxidants. Many major food industry giants have started marketing Chia containing food products which adore the shelves of many major super markets. Probably more than 100 Chia based products are currently being offered in the US markets. Its competitor Flax seed which had a dream run earlier because of its high unsaturated fatty acid content including Omega-3 acids seems to be getting sidelined with Chia being preferred by the consumers because of its stability and bland taste suitable for incorporation in most foods without affecting their original flavor. 

Many experts believe that gram for gram, Chia seed is a powerful source of Omega-3s, beating such traditional sources like salmon, contains more calcium than milk, more fiber than all-bran cereal and more antioxidants than blueberries. Because of its high soluble fiber content, Chia seed forms a gel that slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, binds it to toxins in the digestive system and helps eliminate waste. Chia contains one of the highest mixed levels of the essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids known in nature with a total of 33 wt/wt % oil content in the seed at a very favorable and heart healthy 33:1 ratio of ALA to LA, the perfect counterbalance to the high omega-6 content in Western diet while sporting only 3% saturated and 7% monounsaturated fats. Confirmation of the efficient metabolic conversion of ALA to heart healthy EPA and brain healthy DHA in short studies in man and, even more impressively, in longer term studies, has recently emerged. Studies unequivocally show both ALA's and its metabolic cascade product, EPA's, positive effects on heart health in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease events in people.

Among all these uphoria Sociologists warn that the high demand pull for grains like Quinoa and Chia is causing a sea change in the diets of local populations in South America causing misery and health disorders among them. Because of the high price it fetches most of the grains grown in these poor countries are exported to the US for consumption by wealthy families there with very little available for local consumption. Consequently their diets are increasingly being based on Maze which is not considered a very nutritious cereal by health experts. Unfortunately very little research inputs are directed towards improving the technology of Chia production and unless this happens healthy grains like Quinoa and Chia are likely to be in short supply with more and more people chasing the limited quantity that is available.  

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

WELL BEING FOODS IN INDIA-THE NEW TREND, A SIGN OF MATURITY?

People are increasingly getting aware about the nuances of healthy foods thanks to a barrage of information blared through the idiot box and "writings and lecturing" from many informed as well as misinformed "pundits". The result is that every product in the market is being scrutinized critically before making a purchasing decision. Whether this is good for the industry or not, is a million dollar question. Obviously industry feels that front of the pack label is an important medium for communication with the consumer and therefore try to cram it with as much information about the product to win over them. Though there are still some questions regarding the adequacy of information provided on a label, it still serves a useful purpose as far as a discerning consumer is concerned and both industry and consumer activists must sit together to improve upon it as much as possible to serve the purpose of transparency and fulfilling the right to information for the citizens.

Label claims as being made on labels are invariably questioned with regard to their veracity and regulatory authorities need to be more careful in permitting printing of such claims. It was not long ago that that European food authorities evaluated health claims by hundreds of products and found most of them based on flimsy scientific data. That only a few could get through their critical lens speaks volume about the mechanism in place in the EU countries that favors the citizens. Many heath claims are made with barely any reliable data but drawing on some academic research by students in Universities. Human health parameters have many features similar to that of animals but there are also major differences which necessitate cautious interpretation of results generated through animal experiments. 

There is a subtle distinction between a health food and a well being food. While a health food must have specific advantages in restoring or promoting on or the other aspect of human health, a well being product just needs to prove that it is good for preventing any diseases and disorders afflicting humans as long as they are not harmful. Many  nutrient fortified and enriched foods come under the category of well being products and cannot be called a health food. There are hundreds of such products already in the market well accepted by the consumers all over the world. Foods supplemented with Omega-3 oil from other sources can be considered as health products and there are similar products coming into the market to address specific health related need. Of course there can be a totally fabricated or designer food containing sch health boosting ingredients and such products are becoming main stream consumer items patronized by health conscious consumers.

In India there are a few natural products already in the market containing increased amounts of vitamins, minerals and other special micro nutrients which are popular with people in spite of the stiff price tags on them. There are also designer products made with permitted ingredients and offering diverse flavor and tastes making tall claims regarding their usefulness to improve health if consumed regularly. Unfortunately there is no effective mechanism in the country to bring to books the manufacturers of such products who are able to get away with impunity while making money riding on unproven claims. Some of the claims include fantastic brain development, fast body growth, getting tall in no time, increasing memory and many others. What is unfortunate is that respected nutritionists and University academics are drawn into this racket for pecuniary benefits! 

Amid such a scenario recent launch of two products by well established industry players provides a sharp contrast. The first one containing Oats and dehydrated vegetables deserve some applause for it fulfills the need for a ready to cook Oatmeal preparation for the well being of most of the consumers including diabetics. Most products based on Oats in western countries are rich in sugar and these are not considered desirable for regular consumption. This Indian product is superior to others in that it contains a variety of vegetables in dehydrated format. Cooking this with sufficient water provides a ready to consume product rich in beta glucans and nutrients contained in the vegetable ingredients. Most importantly they come in diverse tastes and organoleptically superb. Of course there is some scope to improve this product further and the same can be expected soon once the product gets established.

Another product is a malted beverage boasting of the health advantage of Oats. It is not clear whether Oats and Malt extract are compatible in nature and how much oats can be loaded into a beverage. Besides oats need cooking to disperse while a malted beverage is just mixed with hot milk. Though this product has been launched through out the country, the relevance and acceptability are factors that will determine its success. From a food technologist's perception malted beverage is a poor carrier for oats and there is a limit as to how much oats can be consumed through this products. Normally 50-100 gm of oats only can confer any health advantage and this fact goes against the soundness of the product design.   

Unless products are developed keeping in mind the basic concepts of nutrition and health promoting nutrients, there is every likelihood of such products falling on the way side during their progress towards a viable one. One or two products like the oats+vegetables cannot make the well being industry a mature one and unless many major players pitch in with similar products with undoubted positive health benefits India will continue to be a market for only fast foods and not-so-healthy foods.   
  

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

FROM ROLLED OATS TO MUESLI-HEALTH FOOD INDUSTRY ON A "ROLL"

It is by now well established that oats serve the purpose of reducing cholesterol levels in people having hypercholesterolemia as it contains high concentration of soluble fiber, beta glucans. To day even normal healthy consumers are developing the habit of consuming oats regularly in their daily diet, though its full impact is still uncertain. Like any other cereal, oats contains proteins (15-17%), carbohydrates (59-70%), fat (4-9%), dietary fiber (5-13%) and other nutrients. But for the presence of soluble dietary fiber, beta glucan (2-6%), oats would have remained still a horse feed, as it was during the nineteenth century. It was during eighties of the last millennium, oats attained celebrity status as a healthy supplementary food in daily diets and Quaker company of the US, the oats giant lent its marketing muscle to make it a formidable product.

Though the health claims were being made for many years, oats started commanding attention only relatively in recent years thanks to recognition by the FDA of USA, conditionally allowing certain health claims on labels of packets containing oats or products based on it. 3 gm of soluble fiber like beta glucans in conjunction with a diet low in saturated fat, cholesterol and fat may reduce risk of heart disease as per FDA guidelines. In order to permit such claims to be printed on labels, each serving must contain a minimum of 0.75 gm of soluble fiber. Therefore a serving size should have about 25 gm of oats in it to make the health claim. Being a temperate zone crop, oats production and regular consumption in the diet are mainly in countries like Russia, Canada, USA, Poland, Finland and others but it became universally accepted only as a health food. There is more or less a consensus that oats can reduce serum cholesterol levels significantly in those with high cholesterol levels during the first few days, say about 30 days but its impact on long term consumption is uncertain, though it does not cause any harm.

Any product boasting of health advantages can be expected to be priced high and oats is no exception.As a horse feed it would not have fetched even a fraction of the price it commands to day and why it should cost almost 3-4 times the price of wheat, can be attributed to market opportunities. Not to be satisfied with such high prices, health food industry is constantly striving to add further "value" to the already high cost and the Bircher Muesli recipe of Maximilian Bercher-Benner of Switzerland evolved in 1900 has come handy and to day there are hundreds of products being marketed under the Muesli banner at costs almost double that of simple rolled oats. Muesli basically refers to a preparation from oats, developed to make it tastier and more nutritious and a typical recipe is based on rolled oats, soaked in water to make it soft and mixed lemon juice, cream or condensed milk and apple topped with hazelnut or almond powder.

To day there are many ingredients that have found their way to Muesli formulations. These include wheat, rye, malts, sugar, whey solids, honey, corn syrup, invert syrup, nuts, pieces of fruits such as banana, mango, grapes, berries, apple, peach and many others, coconut gratings, chocolate, soy lecithin and any thing and every thing which are edible and tasty. No doubt, Muesli is more nutritionally balanced and healthy, compared to just oats but the cost has to come down if its benefit has to percolate down to more consumers who, at present, cannot afford it.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com