Phew. Used to be, when it came to food, ph” referred to the chemical balance between acids and bases.
Ah, the good old days.
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Now you’ll see more phood”–foods that boast positive pharmaceutical effects, said Don Montuori, an editor at Packaged Facts, a market research company in New York.
And watch out for bepherages,” drinks with the same qualities, he said.
Both silly words were coined by marketers to seem more consumer-friendly than “nutraceuticals.”
Typically, Montuori said, phoods and bepherages fall into three categories:
Those that are “inherently healthy,” like oatmeal, cranberry juice and whole-grain breads; fortified foods like orange juice with calcium or plant sterols for heart health; and “designer” foods, like soy protein bars and soft spreads.
Packaged Facts predicts strong growth for these products through 2009, with sales reaching $20 billion by 2007.
“With mounting proof that many major illnesses are diet-related–and consequently diet-preventable–food has become an integral part of self-care plans,” Montuori said.
At least, we’re assuming he spells it food.”