The Whole Food Matrix
Foods consist of a complex matrix of nutrients, minerals, bioactive compounds, food structures, phospholipids, and other factors like prebiotics.
Instead of focusing solely on individual nutrient content, the whole food matrix emphasizes the importance and advantage of the overall structure and how it affects digestion, absorption, and utilization of nutrients.
Bioavailability and Absorption
The whole food matrix can impact how easily nutrients are absorbed and utilized by the body.
Elements of the food matrix affect the digestion and absorption of nutrients and evidence indicates that consuming nutrients as part of a natural, whole food matrix can enhance overall health and prevent illness.
Whole foods provide a complex nutrient synergy, with vitamins accompanied by phytonutrients and cofactors that enhance bioavailability and utilization in the body, optimizing vitamin activity.
The Color of Food
Phytoactive and Key Nutrient Insights
Understanding the phytoactive profiles of whole foods can help maximize quality of life. And with chronic conditions on the rise, recognizing the potency of whole foods is critical to evaluating which plants have high levels of phytoactives that can help minimize the development of chronic disease. The plant-specific tiles below use gallic acid equivalence (GAE) and nutrient analysis to educate on the profiles of twelve top crops to showcase the elements used in the Whole Food Matrix.
