Functional foods, you may recall, are those to which nutrients are added beyond those already in the foods. The latest example from Unilever: calcium-enriched ice cream!  The philosophy: "better-for-you" foods will improve health. Maybe, but is functional ice cream a good choice?


So I suppose you can consider Kellogg's new fiber-enriched cereals to be a form of fortification. The PR people tell me that adding fiber "is another example of our continued commitment to improving the nutrition credentials of our products to meet consumers' needs and preferences." Their press release explains that Kellogg is doing this as a public service to improve kids' nutrition: It is starting with Froot Loops.

What kind of fiber and how much? Kellogg is a bit vague on these points, but says the fiber will be a combination of whole grain corn and oat flours and fibers. Metamucil, anyone? And why don't they just make whole grain cereals in the first place?

That's why I keep thinking that functional foods are about marketing, not health.