消费者对 COVID-19 的健康担忧导致“更健康”产品越来越受欢迎，尤其是在担心心脏和消化系统健康的老年人中。
Consumer health concerns about COVID-19 led to an increase in the popularity of better-for-you products, specifically among older adults worried about their heart and digestive health.
尽管消费者表示对支持其健康的食物感兴趣，但有证据表明，他们的食物选择并不总是反映这一目标。纽约大学研究人员本月发表的一项研究发现，在 18 年的研究中，所有年龄组的高度加工食品（精制碳水化合物、饱和脂肪和缺乏纤维含量高的选择）的消费量增加了 3.5 个百分点。与此同时，全食物摄入量下降。虽然这些食物消费量的增加对美国人的肥胖率和预期寿命没有帮助，但认知影响直到老年才会变得明显。
Although consumers have indicated an interest in foods that support their well-being, evidence has shown that their food choices do not always reflect this goal. A study published this month by researchers at New York University found that consumption of highly processed foods — options that are high in refined carbohydrates, saturated fats and lack of fiber — increased 3.5 percentage points for all age groups over the 18 years of the study. At the same time, whole food intake declined. While an uptick in consumption of these foods does not help Americans' rate of obesity nor life expectancy, the cognitive effects do not become notable until old age.
纽约大学的研究还发现，“老年人（60 岁以上）食用超加工食品的增幅最大。”俄亥俄州立大学的数据表明，高度加工食品的饮食仅在四个星期内就会导致记忆障碍。
The NYU study also found that “older adults (aged 60+) experienced the sharpest increase in consuming ultra-processed foods.” Data from Ohio State University indicated that a diet of highly processed foods led to memory impairment in only four weeks.
食品制造商意识到超加工食品与健康问题之间的联系，一些制造商已经重新配制产品以实现更健康的形象。
Food manufacturers are aware of the connections between ultra-processed food and health concerns, and some have reformulated products to achieve a healthier profile.
一些品牌通过添加 omega-3 作为成分来瞄准注重健康的消费者，因为它与改善心理健康和增强学习能力等属性有关。 Horizon Milk 和 Costco 的 Kirkland 品牌通过添加 DHA 来提高 omega-3 含量，而富含 omega-3 的鸡蛋则是超市货架上的常备品。雀巢用 omega-3s 强化了 Juicy Juice，Pinnacle Foods 有一个 omega-3 强化的 Smart Balance 花生酱，而 Conagra 的 Earth Balance 有一个 omega-3 黄油涂抹产品。
Some brands are targeting health-conscious consumers by adding omega-3 as an ingredient, due to its association with attributes like improved mental health and enhanced learning abilities. Horizon Milk and Costco’s Kirkland brand boost omega-3 content through the addition of DHA, while eggs fortified with omega-3s are a fixture on supermarket shelves. Nestlé fortified its Juicy Juice with omega-3s, Pinnacle Foods has an omega-3 fortified Smart Balance peanut butter and Conagra’s Earth Balance has an omega-3 butter spread product.
尽管 omega-3 很受欢迎，但许多含有它的补充剂都来自鱼和藻类，在使用它们的产品中留下了明显的海洋味道。农业种子生产商 Nuseed 是澳大利亚 Nufarm, Ltd. 的子公司，目前正与原料巨头 ADM 合作粉碎其专有的 omega-3 油菜籽，以创造一种可持续的陆基 omega-3 来源。
Despite omega-3's popularity, many of the supplements containing it are derived from fish and algae, leaving a distinctly oceanic taste in products that use them. Agricultural seed producer Nuseed, a subsidiary of Nufarm, Ltd. of Australia is now working with ingredients giant ADM to crush its proprietary omega-3 canola to create a sustainable land-based source of omega-3.
获得限制鱼腥味的可持续 omega-3 来源有可能使 omega-3 比现在更受欢迎。然而，消费者必须谨慎考虑在加工食品中添加 DHA 补充剂，以避免加工食品对健康的影响。俄亥俄州立大学的研究表明，即使是含有 omega-3 的加工食品，也会使消费者面临体重增加、心脏病、癌症、糖尿病和死亡的风险。
Access to a sustainable source of omega-3 that limits fishy taste has the potential to make omega-3s even more popular than they already are. However, consumers will have to be careful about considering the addition of DHA supplements to processed foods as a way to avoid the health effect's of processed food. Ohio State University’s research demonstrates that even with processed food containing omega-3 put consumers at risk of weight gain, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and death.
研究表明，高度加工食品与记忆力减退有关，但 DHA 可能有所帮助
Highly processed foods linked to memory loss, but DHA could help, research says
