Antioxidant protection in new Nescafé product

Ever since antioxidants were linked to a variety of health benefits, including preventing visible signs of aging and degenerative diseases, health conscious individuals have been searching for antioxidant-rich foods.

Encouraged by research that identified coffee as a rich source of antioxidants, the world’s favorite coffee brand, Nescafé has developed Nescafé Protect, a breakthrough soluble coffee that delivers thrice the amount of antioxidants found in green tea per serving.

Nescafé Protect is derived from "green coffee" using a proprietary manufacturing process to preserve as much of the natural antioxidants as possible.

The Philippines has the distinction of being the first country in the world to launch Nescafé Protect.

A recent study by Joe Vinson, Ph.D., a chemistry professor at the University of Scranton in the US, helps explain why antioxidants from coffee are attracting so much attention.

Vinson and his associates analyzed the antioxidant content of over 100 different food items, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, spices, oils and common beverages.

The data were then compared to an existing US Department of Agriculture database on the contribution of each type of food item to the average estimated US per capita consumption.

Vinson’s analyses revealed that coffee came out above all other food types on the combined basis of both antioxidants per serving size and consumption frequency.

By consumption, black tea came in at a distant second, followed by bananas, dry beans and corn. In essence, Vinson’s study revealed that Americans get more of their antioxidants from coffee than from any other dietary source.

Although no similar study has been conducted in the Philippines, there is considerable evidence to suggest that Filipinos also receive significant amounts of antioxidants from coffee.

The Philippines is undeniably a coffee culture. A day typically begins with a steaming cup of coffee and offering coffee to guests any time of the day is second nature to Filipinos.

As Nestlé nutrition champion Aleli Elizabeth Gana explains however, this should not be taken to mean that coffee should replace other antioxidant sources in our diet.

"From a nutritional point of view, fruits and vegetables should always be a part of your diet because of the vitamins, minerals, nutrients and fiber they contain," she says.

She clarifies that although some important antioxidants like vitamin E and C are part of a nutritious diet, other antioxidant substances like soya beans, coffee and red wine have no known nutritional function but are nonetheless significant sources of beneficial antioxidants.

Therefore, the key to enhancing one’s protection from harmful free radicals, according to Gana, is an ample intake of dietary antioxidants from a variety of sources.

This is where coffee plays a significant role in the delivery of antioxidants to one’s diet.

Because it is so easily accessible and extremely convenient, coffee provides many with high amounts of antioxidants, which can have a tremendous impact on one’s well-being and health.

Nescafé takes this one step further by boosting the amount of antioxidants the body receives every time one enjoys his or her favorite cup of Nescafé Protect.

And unlike other food types that people can sometimes tire of, coffee remains a constant in their daily routine, ensuring that somehow, their bodies receive sufficient amounts of antioxidants daily.

For instance, while dates are the only other food type to have more antioxidants in Vinson’s study, it is doubtful whether most people would choose to eat dates on a daily basis for its antioxidant benefits.

Nescafé Protect is a smooth, mild-tasting, full-flavored coffee, which consumers will definitely enjoy for its taste and aroma as well as its antioxidant benefits.

It is now available in leading supermarkets nationwide. For more information on Nescafé Protect, call the Nestlé consumer hotline at 898-0061.