{"id":108,"date":"2008-10-25T19:33:30","date_gmt":"2008-10-26T01:33:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/functional-foods.ultimatefatburner.com\/?p=108"},"modified":"2015-02-12T20:51:18","modified_gmt":"2015-02-13T01:51:18","slug":"progressive-nutritional-therapies-phytoberry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ultimatefatburner.com\/functional-foods\/progressive-nutritional-therapies-phytoberry\/","title":{"rendered":"Progressive Nutritional Therapies’ PhytoBerry"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the last decade, we’ve been bombarded by information on the value of eating more vegetables and fruits. We now know that plant foods are more than just low calorie sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals…they’re loaded with antioxidant compounds that may reduce our risk of serious diseases and slow the aging process. It seems like a new “superfood” or “superfruit” that tops the ORAC<\/a> charts is being discovered every other week. <\/p>\n

Yet, for all the knowledge we now possess, vegetable and fruit consumption is still shockingly low. According to the Centers for Disease Control<\/a>, only 32.6% of US adults consume fruit 2 or more times\/day, and only 27.2% eat vegetables more than 3 times\/day. We have a lot of catching up to do, with respect to healthy eating.<\/p>\n

Under the circumstances, it’s not surprising to see supplements being marketed to fill the gap. One such supplement is Phytoberry<\/a> – a blend of high ORAC fruit concentrates, herbal extracts and oils that’s designed to act “…as a wonderful insurance policy” against inadequate fruit intake.<\/p>\n

Manufacturer’s Description:<\/strong> PhytoBerry\u00ae is a highly concentrated berry based whole food supplement that is loaded with natural anti-oxidants. Featuring a comprehensive blend of over 40 high ORAC value fruit concentrates, phytonutrients, essential fatty acids and herbal extracts, PhytoBerry\u00ae is specifically designed to offer whole body antioxidant protection. PhytoBerry\u00ae has been professionally formulated, energetically tested and contains no artificial ingredients of any kind. A single serving has the equivalent nutrient content of 6 to 8 servings of fresh fruit.<\/p>\n

Product Label:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Calories 60
\nFat 1 g
\nTrans Fat 0
\nCholesterol 0 mg
\nTotal Carbohydrate 13 g
\nDietary Fibre 2 g
\nSugars 7 g
\nFruit Concentrates<\/strong>
\nGoji Berry 1200 mg
\nOrganic Acai Berry 600 mg
\nPomegranate 300 mg
\nIndian Goose Berry 215 mg
\nMangosteen (including pericarp) 200 mg
\nPrune 200 mg
\nBlueberry 175 mg
\nRaisin 150 mg
\nCranberry 140 mg
\nStrawberry 125 mg
\nAcerola Berry 110 mg
\nApricot 90 mg
\nRaspberry 70 mg
\nCupuacu 55 mg
\nBlackberry 40 mg
\nSea Berry (Buckthorn) 35 mg
\nElderberry 35 mg
\nPhytonutrients<\/strong>
\nRosehip Extract 250 mg<\/td>\n		Green Tea Extract 140 mg
\nApple Extract 70 mg
\nWhite Tea Extract 35 mg
\nRosemary Extract 30 mg
\nGrape Skin Extract 30 mg
\nOlive Leaf Extract 15 mg
\nBilberry Extract 15 mg
\nGrape Seed Extract 15 mg
\nPine Bark Extract 10 mg
\nCorn Silk (Zea mays) 10 mg
\nQuercitin 5 mg
\nLycopene 5 mg
\nResveratrol 2 mg
\nEssential Fatty Acids & Oils<\/strong>
\nOrganic Non-GMO Lecithin 900 mg
\nOrganic Flax Seed Oil 320 mg
\nOrganic Coconut Oil 55 mg
\nPlantain Oil 35 mg
\nExtra Virgin Olive Oil 25 mg
\nAvocado Oil 20 mg
\nEssential Orange Oil 140 mcg
\nEssential Rosemary Oil 140 mcg
\nEssential Clove Oil 30 mcg
\nEssential Thyme Oil 30 mcg
\nEssential Oregano Oil 30 mcg
\nEssential Cinnamon Bark Oil 30 mcg
\nBlack Pepper Extract 2 mg<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Other Ingredients:<\/strong> Organic Evaporated Cane Juice Powder, Stevia Extract and Natural Berry Flavor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Comments:<\/strong> One of the problems I’ve seen with blended, “superfood” supplements in general, is that they feature an impressive-looking array of ingredients, but provide only miniscule amounts of each one.\u00a0 Whole foods are biochemically complex, and specific nutrients are present in relatively small amounts. When only small amounts of the food are provided in the first place, the nutritional impact is debatable. Under the circumstances, it’s important to know more about what the entire supplement blend has to offer, vs. individual ingredients.<\/p>\n

Which brings us to PhytoBerry…unfortunately, the information available on the company web site is long on buzzwords, and short on specifics.\u00a0 Consider the following paragraph:<\/p>\n

This \u201csuperfruit\u201d blend packs a one-two punch by providing exceptional antioxidant activity while preserving the natural harmony of the whole foods, including all of the secondary and trace nutrients. This natural balance and synergy provides us with a level of protection that can\u2019t be duplicated with isolated forms of antioxidants.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

PhytoBerry provides “exceptional antioxidant activity?”\u00a0 Then why isn’t the ORAC value provided on the site or product label?\u00a0The blend preserves “all of the secondary and trace nutrients?”\u00a0 Then why aren’t these listed on the nutritional label?\u00a0 This “level of protection…can’t be duplicated” with isolated antioxidants?\u00a0 How do they know this? Where’s the science behind this claim?\u00a0 PhytoBerry contains the “equivalent nutrient content of 6 – 8 servings of fresh fruit?”\u00a0 Which nutrients and fruits did they use to draw this conclusion?\u00a0<\/p>\n

I found exactly ZERO data to support any of these claims.<\/p>\n

All told, PhytoBerry provides less than 4 grams of blended fruit concentrates, which isn’t a lot.\u00a0 And – needless to state – we know nothing about what might have been lost as a result of processing.\u00a0 Heat, light and air can be incredibly damaging to nutrients…yet the company tells us nothing about how their concentrates were prepared or handled. Ditto the extracts, which are not standardized for any of the known, bioactive ingredients.<\/p>\n

PhytoBerry also contains a blend of nutritional oils, but once again, the amounts are too small to be of much use. For example, consider that a teaspoon of – say – flax oil represents about 4 – 5 grams<\/strong>…the 350 mg in PhytoBerry represents a few drops, at best. Some of the oils are even provided in microgram<\/strong> amounts…in other words, they’re simply label decoration.<\/p>\n

Ironically, it’s probably the isolated phytonutrients (e.g., lycopene, resveratrol and quercetin) added that provide the most value.\u00a0 The amount of resveratrol added – while not large by supplement standards – is a healthful amount (about the same as in a couple glasses of red wine).<\/p>\n

But does this justify the price? PhytoBerry ain’t cheap: the best price I could find for a 1 pound (30 serving) container was $35.99.\u00a0 If a serving of Phytoberry really represented the nutrient equivalent of 6 – 8 servings of fresh fruit, it might be worth it, but I’m unrepentantly skeptical. The burden of proof is on the company, after all.<\/p>\n

For what it’s worth, the sample packet of PhytoBerry I tried was tasty enough:\u00a0it tasted just like\u00a0berry-flavored “Juicy Juice” with a small amount of sediment\/grit in it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Overall, I’d say PhytoBerry probably could make SOME contribution to your phytonutrient intake and is certainly benign, but personally, I’m far from convinced that it’s a viable substitute for the real thing.\u00a0 In the long term, the solution to not eating enough fruits and vegetables is…to eat more fruits and vegetables.<\/p>\n

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