Total approach for balanced diet

“In the concept of balanced diet, total approach is important.”

This was the statement Dr. Sam Rehnborg, Nutrilite Health Institute president and the son of Nutrilite founder Carl Rehnbor made when he spoke to members of media on Oct. 22 during the 80th anniversary of Nutrilite at Makati Shangri-La Hotel.

Rehnborg visited the country not only to promote their supplements but more so fruits and vegetables consumption. “People should start taking charge of their lives through good health,” he stressed.

Reversed

Three out of four people globally do not meet the recommended 400 grams a day consumption of fruits and vegetables, as detailed in the Nutrilite-sponsored 2014 Nutrilite Global Phytonutrient Report. Rehnborg believes that this can be reversed not only by a good diet but also a lifestyle change.

He attributed the unmet recommended consumption of fruits and vegetables to the inclination of Filipinos to adopt the Western diet, primarily American, which is composed of processed, salty and sugar-based food with an excess of calories.

Rehnborg noted that people are waking up to the concept of good health, in light of the threat of lifestyle diseases and malnutrition. “Many of them are now conscious of what they eat,” he said.

Pioneer

Nutrilite pioneered phytonutrients research. In the early 20th century, before people knew what phytonutrients were and even before the word “vitamin” was widely used, Nutrilite founder Carl Rehnborg was already in China observing the connection between health and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, even experimenting with his own crude supplements.

“Phytonutrients are dietary compounds that are unique to plant foods and are not proteins, carbohydrates or fats. In our bodies, like in plants, they help defend us against the wear and tear of daily life,” said Dr. Keith Randolph, nutrition innovation strategist at the Nutrilite Health Institute for Amway.

But apparently, research reveals that phytonutrients aren’t a priority in people’s diet. The Nutrilite Global Phytonutrient Report said there is a big gap between the amount of fruits and vegetables recommended by the WHO and what people actually eat. This gap can be caused by busy schedules, limited access to any or a variety of fresh produce, as well as personal taste preferences, the research added.

Though supplements are recommended for people to have better access to phytonutrients, they aren’t going to replace good diet and exercise, Rehnborg said, which is why people have to focus on them. For food consumption, he said, “there is no miracle product; one must adhere to a plant-based diet, with everything else in moderation.”