Do you know what the food matrix is? Or that the physical and nutritional structure of a food affects how it is digested and used by the body? If you dont, learn more about the food matrix and how it works in dairy products at this webinar hosted by the Consumer Education Project of Milk SA on 9 November.An important insight from current research is that food is more than the sum of its nutrients. The concept of the food matrix suggests that the nutritional and health effects of a food are due to both its structure and its nutrient composition and, in turn, also their interaction. In the case of dairy products, the dairy matrix has been shown to have a positive effect on overall health. For example, although dairy foods contain saturated fatty acids, the intake of dairy foods is not linked to cardiovascular disease and could even contribute to reducing cardiovascular disease in some cases.In recent years, the focus of nutrition science has therefore shifted from nutrients to whole foods because foods are eaten as a whole and together with others. Consequently, dietary guidelines have also moved away from nutrient-based approaches in favour of advocating food-based dietary patterns.In this webinar, Prof. Arne Astrup of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Denmark, and Prof. Rene Blaauw of the Human Nutrition Division, University of Stellenbosch, unpacks the science behind the food matrix as it applies to dairy and explain how it affects overall health.
