Dietetic and BIO products
« Tell me what to you eat to tell you who you are ! »

Diet food represents special treated or prepared food that responds to the nutritional needs corresponding to a special physiological or psychological condition or to a certain diseases or troubles, including here the food designed for newborns or small children.

The word « dietetic » comes from the Greek « diaita » - lifestyle, life hygiene in general but also from the Latin « diaeta » - diet, alimentary diet prescribed mainly with therapeutically purposes. Hippocrates spoke widely on the influence of the nutrition on the body functioning: “Eating more than nature requests means for sure exposing oneself to more diseases”. Platon speaks also about dietetics “If the disease touches you, the appropriate food will give you more chances for healing”

The notion of nutrition evolved significantly over the time: from prehistoric period till today, the food transformed considerably, while the human being remained genetically the same. Hunting, fishing, fruit harvesting have been replaced with mass agriculture and breeding, having as consequence lack of physical activity, increased sugar intake through cereals, fatty meat, conserving salts.

                                                          
A new industry  

Diet food started to appear on the market in the 80’s, when a wave of low fat, sugar, alcohol has hit the market. In 1990s the nutritional profiles have been underlined as well a larger variety of enriched products (vitamins, minerals, and omega3) became very popular.  In 1995 appears the concept « foodrug» = « food acting as drugs »

The Romanian today’s consumer is more and more informed and trained regarding nutrition and its impact on health. Additionnally, more and more stores or chain of stores allocate significant space for dietetic or bio products and the variety of local or imported products increases year after year.

 Types of dietetic food

  • Diet food for babies: starting with the milk with no lactose to gluten-free products, there is a considerable variety of offerings in the market.

  • Diet food for sportsmen and active people:in order to improve the sports performances, the professional athletes or the amateurs have to consume food with high-density nutritional elements in order to cover the necessary in vitamins, minerals. These are authorized products that can increase the sports performance (hydration, energizing, muscular mass increase, etc)

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  • Diet food for sliming: in this category enter the products with reduced content in fats, sugars and cholesterol, as well as the products based on high protein formulas. Protein diets, that are gaining fast fans in Romania as well, are based on the consumption of products with high-protein content. Their main advantage is the fast weight lost, but, if not followed correctly, can induce body malfunctions. It is recommended to follow the producers’ instructions and/or administrating these products under a nutritionist recommendation.

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  • Diet food with reduced content of sugar, salt or fat: : many Romanians are suffering today of hypercholesterolemia, arterial hypertension, renal disease or diabetes. The current product range available in the stores varies from low-fat diaries to soy products with no cholesterol, salt substitutes or sweeteners or sugar free products for those suffering from diabetes.

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  • Antiallergenic diet food: these are special products for those consumers suffering from alimentary intolerances such as gluten intolerance (celiac disease) or lactose intolerance. Recently there have been launched on the market various gluten-free products, but also diary products with reduced content or lactose-free.

  • Functional diet food: these are products with high fiber content that improve digestion. It is one of the best represented categories in the market, with products ranging from bread enriched with fibers/vitamins or minerals to wholegrain biscuits with natural ingredients, no additives or colorants.

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  • Diet food from ecological agriculture: known also under the BIO name, these products are rapidly gaining market share in our country as well, from basic products such as flour, sugar, etc. to sophisticated ones such as chocolate, coffe, baby food. BIO products are being certified by authorized companies at international level, insuring that the laws in favor are being respected, from the soil quality or cultures to the distribution chain. All certified carry the specific logo AB (Biological Agriculture). BIO represents more than no-preservatives, pesticides, hormones, etc. products, it represents a true lifestyle.