Functional foods are becoming popular as consumers become more aware of the relationship between diet and health. Since all foods have certain functions and nutritional components, what sets functional foods apart?
Functional foods are those that contain bioactive materials that can provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. They can help reduce the risk of certain diseases and disorders and maintain physiological well-being.
They are consumed as part of the regular diet or administered as whole foods, typically in the form of enriched foods (foods with new or added bioactive components) or dietary supplements: isolated nutrients or other ingredients with bioactive functions, such as fish oil capsules.
A notable feature of functional foods is that they can be consumed as part of a varied diet on a regular basis and can have health effects, for example, reversing abnormally high LDL cholesterol, without the need for prescription drugs. This is important as it can help prevent unwanted side effects and be more cost-effective.
The most popular functional foods provide numerous health benefits that go beyond basic nutrition. Many foods have long been recognized for their healing properties, such as honey, olive oil, and yogurt. Recent research has corroborated these claims and examined many other foods and their active components.
When consumed as part of a healthy diet, functional foods can prevent nutritional deficiencies, reduce the risk of diseases, promote proper growth and development, and improve health.
Source: Esto es azúcar