gluten products is harmless. However, several benefits have
been anecdotally attributed to gluten-free diets, such as
increased energy and concentration, improved digestive
systems and reduced symptoms of some behavioural
problems.
Genetically-Modified (GM) foods
contain genetically
modified organisms which have had new genes from other
organisms added. This is to enhance desirable traits, such
as improved nutrition levels, disease resistance or drought
tolerance.
A key concern about GM foods is the unexpected
exposure to allergies if the new protein in a GM food comes
from a source known to cause human allergies, or one that
has never been consumed as human food. A major GM
project of adding a gene from Brazil nuts to soybeans was
dropped when it was discovered the new soybean would
trigger major nut allergies. Another concern of GM foods is
the potential impact on the effectiveness of antibiotic drugs.
This is because some GM foods have antibiotic features
introduced to make them more disease-resistant. While this
theory is unproven, the FSA is encouraging the phasing out
of using antibiotic-resistant genes.
As GM foods are a fairly new development, the debate
is still on as to whether they truly have any negative
side-effects. However, many prefer to err on the side of
caution and avoid GM foods where possible, although this
might be difficult as the regulation on GM foods differs
across countries. On one end, the EU has taken a very
cautious approach by banning GMO crops and requiring
labelling for all GM products, while in Hong Kong there
is no regulation whatsoever requiring labelling on the sale
of GM products. This has caused some concern in Hong
Kong, as many consumers prefer to make an informed
decision regarding their consumption of GM foods.
‘Superfoods’
is a marketing term coined for foods
purported to have an unusually high content of
antioxidants, vitamins or other nutrients. Popular examples
include chia seeds, kale and spirulina, and many of these
are finding their way into children’s diets. However,
the lack of any official definition, credible research
or regulation on ‘superfoods’ causes the list to change
frequently and some marketers to use it misleadingly. Such
issues have led to the term ‘superfood’ being banned from
labelling in Europe.
With so many different views, trends and options
available on the subject of food and nutrition, it can be
daunting to sift through it all, and to work out what is best
for you and your family. It is also important to bear in
mind that it’s the overall diet that is most important, and
not to rely overly on the alleged miracle properties of any
particular food, be it organic or a ‘superfood’.
March 2015
77
