Getting patients to limit their intake of ultra-processed foods and consume a whole-food diet is an ideal goal for many DCs.
Whole-food supplementation can help fill key nutritional gaps and promote healing. And while most people recognize the benefits of whole foods when they are served on a plate, it may be less obvious to some why utilizing nutritional supplements derived from whole foods is a beneficial practice.
The label on a dietary supplement does not tell the whole story of nutrient quality, bioavailability and utilization in the body. There is a difference between supplements that contain only isolated nutrients versus those delivered in whole-food form. The combination of nutrients, bioactive compounds and phytochemicals found in whole-food-based supplements can enhance nutrient absorption, increase bioavailability and interact synergistically to provide health benefits to the body.
What is the whole-food matrix?
The scourge of conditions such as pellagra, rickets and scurvy in the early 20th century helped lead to the identification of all the major vitamins by mid-century. To prevent common micronutrient deficiencies, the US government led food fortification efforts with isolated, synthetic nutrients beginning in the early 20th century.
Modern nutrition science and dietary supplements that focus on isolated and synthetic nutrient extracts are a natural outgrowth of these historical realities.
But the fact is it is not natural for humans to regularly consume isolated and synthetic nutrients at prescribed doses. Rather, we are designed to consume foods that consist of a complex matrix of nutrients, minerals, bioactive compounds, food structures, phospholipids and other factors like prebiotics.
A reductionist view of nutrition fails to account for the whole-food matrix, a concept that encompasses the overall chemical dynamics of food and how various components are structured and interact, including the texture, form and microstructure of food.,
Elements of the food matrix affect digestion and absorption of nutrients, and scientific evidence indicates that consuming nutrients as part of a natural, whole-food matrix can enhance overall health and prevent illness.3
Health benefits of consuming whole foods
Whole foods promote multiple aspects of human health, including boosting antioxidant status, supporting healthy inflammation, modulating metabolic processes and enhancing immune response. Their beneficial effects are even more pronounced when they replace ultra-processed foods, which are particularly unhealthy and negatively influence metabolic health, long-term dietary behaviors, satiety signaling and food reward systems.
Whole foods contain essential vitamins, minerals and macronutrients that support overall health and help prevent nutrient deficiencies. Foods in their whole-food matrix may enhance the bioavailability of these nutrients, increasing absorption and utilization throughout the body.
Because many factors affect nutrient digestion and absorption, the numbers on the nutrition label do not always align with actual bioavailability within the body. However, consuming nutrients in the right proportions as part of the whole-food matrix can enhance absorption and bioavailability, potentially resulting in increased levels compared to what can be absorbed from a processed version of the same food.
The role of bioactive compounds
Within the whole-food matrix, bioactive compounds such as hormones, sterols, enzymes, phytonutrients and signal transducers can affect various cells when they are absorbed and circulated throughout the body.
Often, these nutrients and bioactive compounds in the whole-food matrix interact synergistically, resulting in a greater, or different, action compared to that of single nutrients. Together, the whole-food matrix and its synergistic effects allow for more thorough digestion and absorption, enhancing the absorption of other nutrients.7
For example, polyphenols can inhibit the actions of enzymes that break down starches, including alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase, which slow the digestion of carbohydrates and support overall blood glucose metabolism.
Whole-food matrix clinical considerations
Enhanced bioavailability and nutrient synergy from the whole-food matrix can impact many areas of health and wellness. For example, athletes who consume protein within the context of a whole-food matrix may experience enhanced recovery and increased muscle mass synthesis.
In one study, post-exercise muscle protein synthesis was more strongly stimulated by whole eggs compared to egg whites. Egg whites offer a leaner source of protein; however, a whole egg also includes lipids, vitamins and minerals that result in an interaction within the body, and possibly muscle tissue, that creates an enhanced response.4
For the general population, consuming nutrients as a part of the whole-food matrix can reduce the risk of diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke, as well as support day-to-day and long-term health.
Studies have confirmed differences in health effects when foods are consumed as part of the whole-food matrix versus isolated nutrients. For example, fiber from whole-grain sources reduced mortality in women, but fiber from refined grain did not. These results demonstrate it is not simply about eating fiber from any source to obtain benefits, but rather consuming fiber alongside phytonutrients and other food matrix components. Research has noted similar results with other whole foods, including pomegranates, cruciferous vegetables and various fruits.7 A nutritional strategy that aims to harness the power of the whole-food matrix requires the practitioner to look beyond the label.
Whole-food supplementation
Along with chiropractic care, dietary changes and lifestyle interventions, whole-food supplements have the potential to be a powerful tool in your toolbox.
For patients who struggle to obtain all essential nutrients through food alone or who deal with health conditions that can benefit from extra support, whole-food supplements can allow them to reap the many benefits of the whole-food matrix.
In contrast, supplements that utilize isolated extracts and high doses of synthetic nutrients fail to replicate the benefits of a whole-food matrix. While these types of supplements may look appealing on the label due to their higher levels of single nutrients, they lack the complex synergy between micronutrients, macronutrients and phytochemicals that whole-food supplementation. They may have inferior bioavailability and be digested and utilized differently in the human body.
Final thoughts
Whole-food supplements contain nutrient compounds that stay as close as possible to their natural form to provide important functional benefits for the human body. You can leverage the power of the whole-food matrix through the use of whole-food supplementation with your patients as part of a well-rounded, personalized treatment plan.
KERI BARRON, PHD, is a nutrition scientist at Standard Process.
SARAH CLARKE, DC, IFMCP, is a clinical educator at Standard Process.
Learn more about Standard Process and whole-food supplements at standardprocess.com.
