It is estimated by WHO, that worldwide, over 2 billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiency. The same statistics also reveal that the daily requirement for vitamins and minerals are not met, especially in children.

Fortified foods are used as the main instrument to combat this deficiency. Introduced in the 1930’s and 1940’s, they are intended to help boost nutrient intake.

Fortified foods are enriched with nutrients that either do not naturally occur in the food, or are removed during processing. One of the most common fortified foods is Milk. A high source of protein, calcium and vitamins A and D, milk loses a lot of its nutrients while in the processing stage. In India, fortification of milk with vitamins A & D is a necessity due to the widespread deficiencies present in the population.

Over and above fortifying agents being added to milk, a number of other products are also used at different stages of a person’s life to make one’s milk intake more effective.

PediaSure

Formulated with 37 nutrients, PediaSure provides complete, balanced nutrition for children aged 2 years and above to help support growth. PediaSure comes with added proteins (to support muscle development), calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and Vitamin K (for bone development), B complex vitamins and carbohydrates for boosting energy.

Apart from these regular nutrients, PediaSure also contains Vitamins C, and E, Zinc and Selenium that are otherwise known as “antioxidants”. Probiotics, that maintain gut health, and copper to support immunity are also additionally added in to make this an all around fulfilling supplement for children to go with their usual diet.

Strawfit

Strawfit is an up and coming product in the Indian F&B market which is a milk flavouring straw with added colostrum. The product itself is a simple straw that has tiny balls of flavouring inside, which when sipped through, transforms regular milk into flavoured milk.

Made from completely natural ingredients, Strawfit stands out, thanks to the one special ingredient – Colostrum. Colostrum is the first milk that a cow produces immediately after giving birth. It contains a range of prebiotic and probiotic nutrients, enzymes and antibodies. Strawfit comes in three different flavours of Strawberry, Chocolate, and Vanilla, and is readily available online and in most gourmet department stores.

Ensure

After the age of 40, there is a special need to consume nutrient rich foods as the body starts to lose muscle mass faster than normal. In this case, it is paramount to implement a diet which includes intake of protein, carbohydrates, fats and micronutrients in an optimal range.

Ensure is a supplement that is favoured by many people over the age of 40 to maintain muscle mass and promote a healthy lifestyle. Enriched with over 30 nutrients, Ensure comes with proteins, calcium, vitamin A, B, C, D and E, that can reduce risk of osteoporosis. Additionally, it also has folic acid, iron, zinc, and selenium, which aids in boosting immunity. Ensure, taken along with a balanced diet, is prescribed by physicians all over the world to keep those over the age of 40 fit and healthy.

Despite a number of fortification products in the market, it is important to keep in mind that these by themselves will not be an effective way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. A proper and nutritious diet, coupled with these immunity boosting agents, as per your physician’s direction is the way forward for a more robust way of living.