Checked: whether "healthy eating products" are really good for you

Studies of sweeteners and dietary supplements (supplements) have yielded conflicting results. Scientists from Japan in a new paper studied the effect of products enriched with various nutrients on human health.

The results were published by the scientific journal BMC Nutrition.

Specialists from the University of Tokyo decided to find out whether foods with a higher content of protein, vitamins and trace elements help to reduce the deficiency of nutrients in the body. They also compared the effect of eating such "healthy food" separately and in combination with dietary supplements. The results of the study were published in the scientific journal BMC Nutrition.

The experiment involved 392 healthy Japanese adults aged 20 to 69 years. Of these, 122 people regularly consumed fortified foods or dietary supplements - at least once during a four-day dietary record-keeping period. Dietary data for all participants were collected from February to March 2013.

The analysis showed that nutrient levels were closer to normal in those who periodically received protein, vitamins and minerals from speciality foods or supplements. This is compared to participants whose diet consisted only of regular foods with no additional supplements.

However, the scientists warn against overuse of fortified foods, and many supplements can be dangerous if used without a doctor's recommendation. For example, 2% of participants who consumed "health food" or dietary supplements were found to be at risk of excessive intake of vitamin B6.