Heart Healthy Functional Food Bar

Okay, so why haven’t you heard of “Functional Foods” before now? Quite simply, it’s because no other food product has been designed for consumers with basic medical ailments including high blood pressure, heart failure, high cholesterol, arthritis, diabetes, or specific women’s health concerns such as pregnancy, menopause, osteoporosis and others.

Then again, at WatchDog Nutrition, we’re not content to make so-called protein, energy or meal replacement bars that only contain one ingredient with questionably beneficial properties (if any), but at such a low amount that its efficacy is minimal at best.

On the other hand, our Heart Healthy Bars and Diabetic Healthy Bars are super-functional food with medically proven health benefits. Our physician-designed products are made using all-natural ingredients that create a synergy with often-prescribed medicines and ingredients that have scientifically proven benefits. What we don’t put into WatchDog Nutrition products are ingredients that don’t provide benefits to your body at all.

The final ingredient in our products is the most important: great taste! After all, if you don’t want to eat food that’s good for you, what good is the food?

What Our Products Do Not Contain
(And Why).

Under the “not-necessarily-bad-for-you-but-don’t-do-anything-
good-for-you-and-could-possibly-have-unpleasant-side-effects” category, we do not use the following ingredients:

I. Potassium

There is evidence showing a relationship between potassium ingestion and reduction of blood pressure
Many people with heart disease and diabetes are on medicines that increase blood potassium levels; and dietary supplementation could lead to even higher blood levels which may result in life threatening arrhythmias
Most people with heart disease and diabetes have associated kidney problems which is another contraindication to potassium supplementation

II. Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Consumer demand is high for products with omega 3 fatty acid. Significant data show that people with diets high in fish (which contain high levels of omega 3 fatty acids) have less heart disease. In fact, omega 3 fatty acid is often recommended after having a heart attack to stabilize the electricity of the heart.
Lancet 1999; 354: 447-55
Am J Clin Nutr 2003: 77: 319-25
Other studies show that omega 3 fatty acid supplementation (not from consumption of fish) can actually increase death in certain people with heart disease
Eur J Clin Nutr. 2003 Feb;57(2):193-200 (DART 2 Trial)
JAMA. 2005; 293: 2884-2891
Due to the fact that data for generalized omega 3 fatty acid supplementation is not conclusively beneficial and safe, it has not been included in our product at this point in time

III. D-ribose

A naturally occurring sugar which has been shown to be a preferable sugar molecule for failing hearts
Most data indicate that at least 9 grams of D-ribose is needed to see a beneficial affect, which is too much sugar
The European Journal of Heart Failure 5 (2003): 615-619

IV. Policosanol

Extract from sugarcane wax that has good data for helping in the reduction of blood cholesterol levels by a mechanism different to statin medicines
Data indicate that policosanol has an antiplatelet effect (blood thinning) which could result in excessive bleeding in people with various heart problems because these people tend to be taking other blood thinning medications such as aspirin, coumadin (Warfarin), and/or clopidogrel (Plavix)
Am Heart J 2002; 143: 356-65

V. CoEnzyme Q10

A molecule that has a proven role in the transport of energy into the cells of the body including the heart muscle which is especially important in people with heart failure
To see a clinical benefit approximately 150 mg of this product needs to be consumed
This is an ingredient we will look to add in future products or flavors
Ann Pharmacother 2005; 39: 1522-6

Under the “these-could-be-bad-for-some-people-so-don’t-go-near-them” category, we don’t even think about the following ingredients when making our products:

I. Vitamin B Supplementation

The recent Norwegian Vitamin Trial (NORVIT) recently illustrated that supplementation with the combination of folic acid and vitamin B6 lead to increase incidence of heart attacks in patients with previous heart attack
N Engl J Med 2006 Apr 13;354(15):1578-88

II. Vitamin E

A recent popular medical journal pooled multiple large studies and results suggest excessive (more than 400 IU/day) of Vitamin E supplementation can increase the risk of death.
Ann Intern Med. 2005; 142: 37-46
However, lower doses of Vitamin E supplementation may have beneficial antioxidant activity

What Our Products Do Contain
(And Why).

In addition to a lot of proven science and just plain smart thinking, we put the following ingredients into our products because, well, because they’re good for you:

I. Sterols

Naturally occurring from plants
Shown to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood by inhibiting dietary cholesterol absorption
Beneficial effect primarily in reduction of “bad” cholesterol (LDL: low density lipoprotein)
The United States National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III recommends 2 grams/day of plant stanol or sterol esters as an essential part of therapeutic lifestyle changes
Ann Intern Med. 2005; 142: 725-733
Am J Cardiol 2001; 88: 1157-1162

II. Levocarnitine (L-carnitine)

Created naturally in the body (in the liver and kidney) from essential amino acids
Plays an important role in the efficient heart muscle energy production
Has antioxidant properties
Studies have shown benefits to include reduction of heart muscle damage after blood flow is reduced (e.g.. Heart attack)
Also shown to have mild benefit in lowering blood cholesterol levels
Current Opinion in Clinical Nutr and Metabolic Care 2000, 3: 417-424
Heart Failure Reviews 7; 115-130, 2002

III. L-arginine

Amino acid that is part of protein synthesis
Precursor to production of nitric oxide which is a major participant in blood vessel dilation including the arteries of the heart
Antioxidant properties include reduction in the oxidation of bad cholesterol (LDL). Oxidized LDL has been shown to be a more dangerous form of LDL

IV. Niacin (also called nicotinic acid and nicotinamide)

Member of the vitamin B family: vitamin B3
Supplementation of niacin is one of the few ways to increase blood levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL: high density lipoprotein)
Typically high doses of niacin are needed to increase serum HDL levels. However, some studies have shown that even low doses of niacin supplementation can have a beneficial effect on HDL levels
Even small increase in blood HDL levels of 1-2 mg/dl can have profound effect in reduction of heart disease
Am Heart J 2002; 143: 514-8

V. Soy Protein

Soybeans are rich in naturally occurring phytonutrients including isoflavones.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a diet rich in soy protein along with reduced consumption of saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease
Shown to reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and increase good cholesterol (HDL) levels
Plant based and contains all 9 essential amino acids
N Engl J Med 1995; 333: 276-82

VI. Beta Glucan

Nondigestible polysaccharides (complex sugar) found in nature in many products including oats and barley
Ingestion of foods high in beta glucan have been shown to reduce total cholesterol levels and increase the levels of good cholesterol (HDL)
J Nutr. 2003 Mar;133(3):808-13

VII. Low salt

Consumption of salt (sodium chloride) plays a critical role in fluid retention by the body. Excessive fluid retention can lead to elevated blood pressure, and, in people with heart failure, it can cause worsening shortness of breath
People with heart disease should never add salt to food and should consume foods that are low in added salt

VIII. Fats

Our products contain zero trans fat and only 1 gram of saturated fat
The FDA states that products can be labeled as healthy for the heart if they have 1 gram or less of saturated fat

What Our Products Do Not Contain (And Why).