Denton County Living Well Magazine March/April 2019 | Page 26

WHAT ARE MESONUTRIENTS?
T
By Julie Alvira, MD, MBA
rendy! We have heard about
macros (big) and micronutri-
ents (small) but now there are
mesonutrients (in the inside or
middle). Correction, the word
might be new but mesonutrients have
always been here. These are the mid-
dle players in the super foods with a
specific benefit. They are the power
source of the superfoods.
Dictionary, certain food is coined as
a superfood when it is rich in com-
pounds considered beneficial to a
person’s health. These superfoods can
prevent diseases because they are full
of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants,
and good fatty acids.
“Focus on a super plate, not just su-
perfoods.”––Harvard School of Public
Health
Let’s Review Some Mesonutrients
Hype surrounds “superfoods.” The
trendy name has been marketed suc-
cessfully, resulting in booming sales.
According to the Merriam-Webster Remember that in order to have a
healthy daily plan, it is important to
practice variety and not just eat this
or that food all the time and forget
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DENTON COUNTY Living Well Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2019
about the others just because some are
considered superfoods. The idea is to
practice balance.
Curcumin: a powerhouse with an-
ti-inflammatory properties found in tur-
meric. It is said that consuming this,
combined with piperine, enhances the
absorption of curcumin. Some individ-
uals might experience indigestion, di-
arrhea or nausea. It may help improve
symptoms of arthritis and depression.
Lycopene: a carotenoid and the pig-
ment found in red and pink colored
fruits and veggies. Tomatoes provide
around 80% of lycopene. Research