FUNCTIONAL FOODS

FUNCTIONAL FOOD a food that provides additional health benefits beyond basic nutrition that may reduce disease risk or promote good health

Food manufacturers may opt to add additional nutrients to food products to boost nutritional value and potential health benefits. These products fall under a class of foods called functional foods (also called nutraceuticals). Functional foods contain nutrients or other constituents, such as phytochemicals, that may enhance their contribution to health and disease prevention beyond their basic nutritional content. Functional foods may be whole foods or processed foods that have been touted to decrease the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or obesity, or to slow the aging process. Some of these claims may be overhyped, but some may be accurate.

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Even though herbal supplements are called “natural” they can cause drug interactions and exacerbate medical conditions.
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Supplements for athletes. Energy gels, bars and powders are used by athletes to improve performance, or to last through a grueling workout. See Chapter 16 for a complete discussion of this topic.
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Functional foods include whole foods, like vegetables, berries, and fish; enriched grains; fortified juices and milks; and enhanced foods, such as sports bars and sports drinks designed to help you run longer or play sports harder. Sports supplements, known as ergogenic aids, are discussed in detail in Chapter 16.

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The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics noted, in its 2013 position statement on functional foods, that “all food is essentially functional at some level as it provides energy and nutrients needed to sustain life. However, there is growing evidence that some food components, not considered nutrients in the traditional sense, may provide positive health benefits.” (INFOGRAPHIC 12.10)

INFOGRAPHIC 12.10 Examples of Functional Foods Functional foods have health benefits beyond those provided by the vitamins and minerals they traditionally contain.
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Photo credits (all photos): Eli Ensor

Question 12.8

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The orange juice pictured is considered a functional food because it is fortified with calcium.

Nutrient-dense plant-based functional foods may, for instance, contain disease-fighting phytochemicals, or phytonutrients, which are biologically active constituents in foods. More than 2,000 phytochemicals have been found in plant-based foods, and many have antioxidant or hormonelike actions and may help to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer and other chronic diseases. Or, functional foods might contain prebiotics (nondigestible carbohydrates broken down by colon bacteria) or probiotics (live beneficial bacteria found in fermented foods). Probiotics can restore or maintain a healthy balance of beneficial bacteria, while prebiotics feed and cultivate them. Probiotics and prebiotics can reduce the risk of illness, because in order to establish infections, “bad” bacteria must adhere to the lining of the gut. As “good” bacteria increases in the gut in response to the ingestion of probiotics (or in response to prebiotics), they take up more and more real estate, making it difficult for the bad bacteria to find a home. In addition, as the number of good bacteria increases, they grab the majority of the available nutrients, leaving little for the unwanted microbes. (INFOGRAPHIC 12.11)

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INFOGRAPHIC 12.11 Prebiotics and Probiotics Prebiotics are compounds that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in our gut. Probiotic bacteria may have many possible health benefits.
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Photo credit (all photos): Scimat/Science Source

Question 12.9

image What types of grain products are most likely to have prebiotic properties?

Oats, wheat, barley, and rye have prebiotic properties.

The United States currently has no statutory legal definition for functional foods, nor any specific regulatory policies for them, so they can be categorized as conventional foods, dietary supplements, or medical foods. Functional foods are common, representing the largest percent of new food products introduced to the market over the past decade. Many packaged functional foods include health claims on their labels that are regulated by the FDA, and most are high in nutrients in relation to calories, so they can contribute to dietary quality, optimal health, and disease prevention when consumed as part of a varied, balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.