Nutraceutical / Functional Foods

The health and wellness of human beings is largely dictated by the consumption of nutritious foods. Various studies have linked foods as helpful in combating a number of degenerative diseases; as such, a lot of research on functional attributes linked directly to the health benefits of various plant and animal foods have been witnessed in recent years. Although vast number of naturally occurring health-enhancing substances are of plant origin, there are a number of physiologically active components in animal products as well that deserve attention for their potential role in optimal health. Consumption of biologically active ingredients in fruits and vegetables has been linked to help combat diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and gastrointestinal tract disorders.

Nutraceutical

The term “nutraceutical” is used to describe these medicinally or nutritionally functional foods. Nutraceuticals, which have also been called medical foods, designer foods, phytochemicals, functional foods and nutritional supplements, include such everyday products as “bio” yoghurts and fortified breakfast cereals, as well as vitamins, herbal remedies and even genetically modified foods and supplements.

The word “Nutraceutical” consists of two words – “Nutrient” which means a nourishing food component and “Pharmaceutical” which means a medical drug. Nutraceutical is a food product with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods. We can say that it is non-specific biological therapies used to promote general well-being, prevent malignant processes, and control symptoms. The main focus of Nutraceutical products is to let the food as your medicine.

Nutraceutical Food Products

Following are the food products used as Nutraceuticals:

Dietary fiber

Prebiotics

Probiotics

Polyunsaturated fatty acids

Antioxidants

Herbal/natural foods

The above Nutraceuticals can help you in combating some of the major health problems of the century such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, cholesterol etc. The food industries are now a research-oriented sector in the era of medicine and health.

Functional Foods

Functional foods are similar in appearance to conventional foods; the former being consumed as part of the normal diet. In contrast to conventional foods, functional foods, however, have demonstrated physiological benefits and can reduce the risk of chronic disease beyond basic nutritional functions, including maintenance of gut health. When food is being cooked or prepared using “scientific intelligence” with or without knowledge of how or why it is being used, the food is called “functional food”. Thus, functional food provides the body with the required amount of vitamins, fats, proteins, carbohydrates, etc.

Functional food Categories

Functional foods are generally separated into two categories:

Conventional Foods

Conventional foods are natural, whole-food ingredients that are rich in important nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and heart-healthy fats.

Modified Foods

Meanwhile, modified foods have been fortified with additional ingredients, such as vitamins, minerals, probiotics, or fiber, to increase a food’s health benefits.