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March 1, 2009: 05:36 AM EST
Antioxidants and products that promote immune system health as a means of preventing illness and disease are becoming more important as the health care system continues to focus on disease treatment and economic conditions worsen. Antioxidant sales reached more than $3 billion in 2007, continuing their overall growth of around 6 percent, according to Nutrition Business Journal (NBJ). Non-vitamin antioxidants ticked upwards by 11 percent, and antioxidants from fruit and vegetables achieved 21 percent growth. The top five best sellers remained the same as in 2006, with the exception that CoQ10 kicked Vitamin E out of second spot, demoting it to No.3. Traditional antioxidants such as selenium and Vitamins C and E showed low or even negative growth, allowing relative newcomers such as pomegranate, goji and acai to shine. These and other superfruits, with their high levels of anthocyanin, are poised to join carotenoids in the race for supremacy, alongside some tried and true favorites, such as blueberries and cranberries. Fruit and vegetable juice blends are beginning to make their presence felt as companies attempt to combine the best of the trend toward more natural, whole foods. Antioxidants are also finding their way into nutricosmetics (also known as cosmeceuticals), and CoQ10 and resveratrol continue to hold their ground. Food companies are also keeping up with the trend for consumers to want evidence that antioxidants actually work, and to know what the specific benefits are, by turning to clinical studies and scientific tests to back their claims.
Sean Moloughney, "The Evolution of Antioxidants", Nutraceuticals World, March 01, 2009, © Rodman Publishing
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