Notes From the Nutritionist

[Nancy]

Howdy, Folks ~

In case you missed the Nurse's Support Call this week, Nurse Lori had one of the TSFL nutritionists as a guest speaker. Jessica Kiel spoke about the new Medifast AntiOxidant Products.

I thought you might be interested in reading Jessica's notes about the healthful benefits of incorporating antioxidants into your daily meal plan.

Here ya go...

NEW: Medifast Antioxidant Product line with Resveratrol
On June 16th 2008 Medifast will launch its line of Antioxidant products.

What are Antioxidants and Why Are They Important to our Health?

Antioxidants are substances that are can help to prevent or repair damage that has been done to your cells from free radicals and oxidative stress.

Think of your body cells as a fire burning in a fireplace.
From environmental exposure and in the ordinary metabolic processes of the body, your cells may release “sparks” (free radicals).

Think of your cell walls as the area of carpet just outside the burning fireplace.

Without protection from the traveling sparks or free radicals, the edges of the carpet (your cell walls) where the sparks (free radicals) land may become burned and damaged over time.

Now think of “antioxidants” as the fire screen that blocks the sparks (free radicals) from doing damage to the carpet (your cell walls).

Essentially the role of antioxidants is to neutralize free radicals and protect the body from the harmful effects of free radicals and oxidative stress

Antioxidants are present in food as vitamins, minerals, carotenoids and polyphenols, among others.

Most common are vitamin A,C, E, beta carotene and the mineral selenium and more recently the compound lycopene.

Occur naturally in foods such as grapes, cocoa, tea, blueberries, cherries, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, or mangoes, etc.

Health benefits - provide protection against oxidative damage and contribute positive health benefits. (fireplace analogy)
Heart and blood vessel health
Brain function and mental sharpness
Vision
Balanced blood sugar levels
Healthy aging
Urinary tract health

Resveratrol - another potent antioxidant source
Found in ALL new Medifast Antioxidant Products
Standardized amount of 15 milligrams per Antioxidant Infuser

Resveratrol is an ingredient found in red wine shown to support good health and longevity
15 milligrams of Resveratrol = amount found in approximately 16 bottles of red wine [ Holy Moley! That's a lotta grape packed into a little antioxidant thingy!!] <nancy's comment, not Jessica's>
Blocks free radical molecules
Improves heart and blood vessel disease
Reduce risk of tumor incidence (cancer)
Decrease incidence of Diabetes and certain stomach infections
Increase life span

About the products
3 shakes: Blueberry, Cherry Pomegranate, and Dark Chocolate
• 90 calories
• 13 grams carbohydrate
• 14 grams of protein
• 4-6 grams of fiber per meal

3 flavor infusers: Citrus Margarita, Raspberry Acai, White Peach Grape
NOT MEALS
5 calories, 1 gram of carbohydrate

Pairing of familiar flavors with exotic flavors

• Usage -
Antioxidant Shakes: can be used up to 5 meals per day

Infusers: TOTAL of 5 Infusers per day (can be a combination of Momentum and Antioxidant Flavor Infusers) if you are to remain in the fat burning state.

Limit is due to the carbohydrate content of the infusers.

Momentum Products should still be limited to a total of 3 per day due to caffeine content

• Properties -
Shakes are whey-based instead of soy.
Whey is a type of protein from milk.
May be good choice for those who prefer non soy-based items.

Each product contains 1,000 ORAC Units (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) units of antioxidant per serving.
Antioxidant potential of a food is measured in ORAC units.
Experts suggest consuming 3,000-5,000 ORAC units daily for the best possible health.

Resveratrol - another potent antioxidant source
Found in ALL new Medifast Antioxidant Products
Standardized amount of 15 milligrams per Antioxidant Infuser

Many thanks to Jessica!

BTW, if you ever have questions that require the expertise of our Nutrition Team, you may call Nutrition Support at (800) 509-1281 or email nutritionsupport at tsfl dot com