Functional foods are scientifically proven to provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. These foods contain bioactive compounds that, when consumed as part of a balanced diet, may promote optimal health and reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Nutritious: Functional foods are typically rich in essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and other bioactive compounds that support overall health and well-being. Examples include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fish, and dairy products.
Health promoting properties: Functional foods contain bioactive compounds that have been shown to have specific health benefits beyond basic nutrition. These compounds may have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anticancer, cardiovascular protective, immune-enhancing, or other physiological effects.
Disease prevention: Eating functional foods as part of a balanced diet may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and neurodegenerative diseases. Certain functional foods have been studied for their preventive or therapeutic effects on certain health conditions.
Regulatory approval: In some countries, functional foods may be subject to regulatory review and approval to make health claims related to specific health benefits. Regulators evaluate scientific evidence to ensure that health claims are supported by solid scientific research and do not mislead consumers.
Examples of functional foods include:
Probiotics: fermented food Yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, and more contain beneficial bacteria (probiotics) that support digestive health and immune function.
Prebiotics: Foods rich in prebiotic fiber, such as onions, garlic, green onions, bananas, oats, and chicory root, feed beneficial gut bacteria and promote a healthy microbiome.
Omega-3 fatty acids: Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout, and sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular protective properties.
Foods rich in antioxidants: Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and dark chocolate contain antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and polyphenols, which protect cells from oxidative damage and reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Functional drinks: Green tea and herbal teas are examples of functional beverages that provide health benefits beyond hydration.
Can all whole foods and minimally processed foods be “functional”?
Recent advances in our understanding of how diet affects health go beyond the typical 150 key nutritional components cataloged in national databases. These ingredients include calories, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, etc. However, this knowledge only covers a fraction of the more than 26,000 different biochemicals found in our food. For example, garlic contains over 2,306 different chemical components, many of which have documented health effects.
This vast chemical diversity in our food has been likened to the “dark matter” of nutrition, as most of these chemicals are not well recognized in research or widely known to the general public. You can.
These biochemicals play a role in regulating the body’s metabolism, but unfortunately, we do not know exactly how they do this. But further progress will probably clear the situation.
Incorporating a variety of functional foods into your diet can support your overall health and well-being. However, rather than relying solely on functional foods to prevent or treat health problems, it is important to consume them as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. Talking to your health care provider or registered dietitian can help you make informed choices about incorporating functional foods into your diet to meet your personal health needs and goals.
