Vegetables
are rich sources of starches, sugars, proteins, vitamins,
minerals, fiber and specific phytochemicals. On the other
hand, vegetables are poor sources of saturated fat and, therefore,
they represent the ideal food for reducing the factors
associated with chronic diseases such as cancer and heart
problems (1). As a result, vegetarian diets have
blossomed and proliferated, providing the body with substantial
amounts of phytonutrients and very little, if any, fat. Nutrient
supplementation for total or partial vegetarian diets is a
necessity for maintaining health since it offers the beneficial
phytochemicals in a concentrated form. Otherwise, it would
be almost impossible to receive these in appropriate amounts
without the copious consumption of raw vegetables.
This kind of nutrient supplementation is not only necessary
for vegetarian diets, as well as, traditional diets. Fregetables
offer a broad spectrum of specific phytochemicals from a proprietary
vegetable blend in a form beneficial to the body for the purposes
of detoxification, immune support, protection from
cancer and reduction of inflammatory responses associated
with allergies. For instance, Fregetables
is a blend rich in anti-oxidants, fiber, glucosilonates and
enzymes along with vitamins and minerals naturally present
in the vegetables used including the components of M&M
that have been shown to benefit all the above indications.
The product components demonstrate an orchestrated activity
supporting the body's well being.
Many
people's lives have been touched in some way by cancer, a
prominent killer in America. The good news is that scientific
validation of the protective power of food is accumulating.
This empowers people to preserve their health from a daily
choice that puts responsibility in the patient's hands. For
people that need be more health conscious, the long-range
goal is to prevent disease and, to achieve this, antioxidants
are the key to such optimal health. In today's industrial
world, environmental pollutants contaminate the air and the
food while poor diet and bad habits accentuate the resulting
stress on the body. This stress is expressed as a production
of free radicals responsible for causing asthma, allergies,
weakening of immunity, muscle and bone damage, eye cataracts,
cancers and other physical injuries. Antioxidants
quench the activity of such free radicals.
Antioxidants found in vegetables help limit free radical
initiation and their associated carcinogenic effects.
The basic diet plan for wellness then is: Low fat , chemicals
and toxins, high fiber and plenty of antioxidants. The old
adage "eat plenty of fruits and vegetables" will
prevail as the main message to the consumer (2). Fregetables
offers a wide range of such antioxidants specifically the
presence of carrot and tomato offer two well known compounds-
beta carotene and lycopene, both obtained from the pigmented
portions of the respective vegetable. They constitute part
of the pigment mixture found in vegetables (orange, yellow
and red) and are strong antioxidants and anticancer
agents (3). Beta-carotene is one of the carotenes that offers
protection against lung, colorectal, breast, uterine, and
prostate cancers (4). Further, beta-carotene and
vitamins E and C synergistically offer cellular protection.
This is because beta-carotene restores the activity of vitamin
E when the latter is used to quench radicals, thus aiding
in its recycling (5). On the other hand, vitamin E prevents
the carotenes from becoming pro-oxidants, requiring them to
act as anti-oxidants (5). Therefore, it appears that anti-oxidants
act in a close relationship with each other. Lycopene, the
carotene from tomatoes, is a powerful antioxidant that has
been linked with protection from certain cancers. In combination
with vitamin E, it inhibits the proliferation of prostate
carcinoma cells (6)
Fregetables,
true to its purposeful design, has incorporated in the vegetable
mix some fruits, like elderberry, to complete the broad-spectrum
protection offered by the antioxidants. Elderberry is a rich
source of anthocyanidines that cause the blue, purple, and
red colors of fruits. The importance of anthocyanidines is
that these support connective tissue re-generation,
increase blood flow, exhibit antioxidant activity and are
anti-inflammatory (7). Anthocyanidines seem to stabilize
and protect capillaries from oxidative damage and protect
the oxidation of vitamin C (5).
The
majority of the vegetable blend offered by Fregetables is
composed of the cruciferous family represented by broccoli,
Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, and turnips. These vegetables
contain sulfur type detoxifying compounds.
Sulfur containing compounds as well as indoles (nitrogen containing
plant constituents) are a subclass of phytonutrients that
bind chemical carcinogens and activate detoxification
enzymes and can modify estrogen metabolism (8).
All these cruciferous vegetables contribute to the good health
and fitness supported by Fregetables. In order to release
these beneficial phytochemicals from the vegetables, it is
necessary to activate the enzyme myrosinase by chopping, juicing
and chewing. Cooking these vegetables inactivates this enzyme
and interferes with the release of these beneficial chemicals.
Fregetables has incorporated these phytochemicals in their
natural state in a convenient capsule form for quick release
and action. The two most important of these
compounds are indole-carbinol and sulfurophane. Indol-carbinol,
especially rich in broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, influences
estrogen metabolism by affecting cytochrom P450 liver enzymes.
This enzyme system affects the oxygenation of estradiol (female
sex hormone) to C-2 metabolites and C-16 metabolites. The
latter have been definitely linked with breast tumor formation.
What indol-carbinol does is increase the C-2 metabolites and
reduce the harmful C-16 metabolites (9). Sulforophane can
increase the level of protective enzymes called phase II enzymes
inside the cells which can detoxify carcinogens (10). It has
also been found that broccoli and Brussels sprouts
reliably contain 20 to 50 times more sulforophane than the
mature plants. Fregetables uses such sprouts in the
vegetable blend.
Another
aspect of the health benefits of the Fregetables is their
fiber content originating from the rich cruciferous
vegetable blend. Several studies have shown the benefits of
fiber intake and the protection it offers against cancer (11).
A last consideration of the product design of Fregetables
is the incorporation of the proteolytic enzymes
bromelain and papein originating from the pineapple and papaya
fruits. Both have been used as digestive aids and
detoxifiers. Both exhibit anti-inflammatory, immuno-modulatory
and anti-cancer activities. The mechanism of these
activities is not very well known but may be due to the proteolytic
activity of the enzymes apoptosis (cell death) and may be
induced selectively on cancer cells. These enzymes are also
entero toxigenic to pathogenic bacteria E. coli and Cholera
(12). The enzymes, like the vitamins, act synergistically
with the antioxidants enhancing their protective action, especially
on allergic reactions. Fregetables are another example of
the well balanced and innovative formulation of the Vibrant
Health System products.
References
1. Nestle M., Proc. Nutr. Soc. 58(2):211 (1999)
2. McFarland, Nutraceuticals World, 2(2):46 (1999)
3. Singh, et al, J. Nutr. And Enu. Mad. 7:267(1997)
4. Bendish A, et al, FASEB J. 3(8):1927 (1989)
5. Delgado-Vargas F., et al, Critical Rev. in Food Sci. and
Nutr. 40(3): 173 (2000)
6. Pastori M.,et al, Biochem. Biophys. Res. 250:582 (1998)
7. Nuttal SL, et al, J. Clin. Pharm Therap. 23(5):385 (1998)
8. Zelings M., J. Med. Food 1(2):67 (1998)
9. Michnovicz J and Pradlow HL, "Food Phytochemicals
and Cancer Prevention, Fruits and Vegetables" Chapter
1, ACS,
Washington D.C (1994)
10. Fahey J, et al, Proc. Natonal Acad. Sci. 94:10367 (1997)
11. Ershoff B., et al, J Food Sci 40: 357(1975)
12. Mynott TL, et al, Gastroenterology 113:175 (1997)
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