Functional foods are foods rich in nutrients that provide health-promoting benefits beyond basic nutritional needs, also referred to as fortified or “enriched foods.”
Your pantry probably already contains many nutritious products, from yogurt with probiotics and cereals enriched with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals to yogurt that contains probiotics and fiber. But not all functional foods offer equal value.
Nutritional Benefits
Functional foods encompass a range of food categories, from whole-foods with nutritious ingredients such as omega-3 fatty acids to colorful vegetables rich in carotenoid lutein that may help protect macular degeneration. Other examples of functional foods are oatmeal with its soluble fiber content; probiotics; and certain fruits like blueberries and cherries rich in anthocyanins.
Food as medicine dates back millennia, as evidenced by Hippocrates’s famous phrase: “Let food be thy medicine.” With functional foods becoming more widespread today, researchers are still exploring their effects on improving health and reducing chronic diseases. While development involves both basic research and clinical trials, as well as collaboration among various organizations like government agencies, scientists, food firms etc. Getting health claims approved under country regulations may take considerable time and cost money.
Weight Loss
Functional foods have quickly become an industry phenomenon as they provide numerous health-boosting benefits, from improving cholesterol levels and aiding weight loss, to protecting against diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis. These food items may either naturally occur or be enhanced with ingredients like fiber, vitamins, minerals, probiotics or omega-3 fats to increase their nutritional value.
Nutritious foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains, as well as some herbs and spices like reishi mushrooms and cordyceps are considered functional food, while functional also refers to foods fortified with nutrients or purposefully bred with traits to enhance performance; such as oatmeal that contain beta glucan for heart health or margarine that contains plant stanols for cholesterol reduction. While functional food may provide benefits in their own right, Taub-Dix emphasizes that eating well-rounded diet can provide even greater advantages – this includes limiting ultra processed food items which tend to be high in sugar, sodium content or saturated fat content compared with whole foods that provide beneficial results.
Immune System Support
Functional food market growth has been propelled by rising interest in diet and health. An aging population, changes to food laws that impact label and product claims, rising healthcare costs and evidence that certain diets help treat specific conditions are all driving forces behind its expansion.
Functional foods refer to whole foods that provide more than simple nutrition; they provide additional physiological benefits, including improved immune function, decreased cancer risk, lower cholesterol and weight loss. These beneficial effects are typically achieved through consumption of phytochemicals (plant-based bioactive compounds) and/or dietary fibre.
Functional foods typically come from plants, like spinach and kale which contain carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin; tomatoes that naturally contain antioxidant lycopene; teas and herbs which offer anti-inflammatory benefits from their high levels of antioxidants; teas and herbs with anti-inflammatory benefits due to high antioxidant concentration; as well as teas that provide anti-inflammatory benefits from their anti-oxidant levels; however animal foods, like salmon which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids or organ meats such as chicken or beef liver can also be considered functional foods.
Energy Boost
Functional foods, or functional food components, provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. This may include omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fibre and probiotics as well as bioactive compounds like phytochemicals. Functional foods can be found in fruits and vegetables, fatty fish and nuts; or as fortified or enhanced food sources like calcium-fortified orange juice or omega-3-enriched margarine.
Foods formulated specifically for altering specific biological processes may also contain compounds that work synergistically; to get maximum benefits it’s wise to eat a variety of healthy foods.
Functional foods have not yet been defined formally; many foods currently considered functional have yet to be scientifically tested to back their claims. However, processes are in place to systematically review and validate clinical data that supports their use; furthermore, as more consumers become aware of potential benefits, demand should increase accordingly.
