All You Wanted To Know About Functional Foods
By RAJGOPAL NIDAMBOOR
Photo Courtesy: ww.defendingveggies.blogspot.com |
Functional foods represent natural foods that provide health-promoting and disease-preventing benefits in the body.
When you consume functional foods on a regular basis you will be able to reduce the risk of illness.
This can further help your physician in the management of many diseases, including heart disease, gastrointestinal problems, menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis, eye affections, cancer etc.,
Functional foods include whole, fortified, enriched or enhanced foods and dietary supplements.
The term, “functional foods” is primarily used to signify foods and their components that offer health benefits beyond the scope of basic nutrition. Put simply, functional foods meet not just our minimum, but also optimal, daily requirements of nutrients. They are suggested to promote vibrant health and reduce the risk of disease.
Nutritional experts have identified hundreds of compounds with functional qualities. Also, new discoveries are being constantly made surrounding the complex benefits of functional foods.
Points To Ponder
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Significance
Functional foods are also called phytochemicals, or nutraceuticals.
By way of definition, functional foods or phytochemicals are natural, bioactive chemical compounds that have health-promoting, disease-preventing, and medicinal properties.
You may sure think of all foods as being functional because they provide nutrients. You are right. However, functional foods denote foods that have health-promoting ingredients or natural components. These are components that have been found to have potential benefits in the body. These also include whole foods that are fortified, enriched or enhanced and also dietary supplements. They all have beneficial effects on our health.
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The Concept
The concept of functional foods is not a recent phenomenon. It has been perfected over the years. Efforts are also being made to improve upon them on a continual basis. To pick one classical example: food manufacturers began adding iodine to salt in an effort to prevent goitre, in the early 1900s. This was, perhaps, the first attempt man made at creating a functional food through enrichment.
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When Does A Food Becomes “Functional?”
As you know, many of the foods we consume are natural, whole foods. They do not become functional foods, just because we known them by that name. Functional foods can be derived from agricultural breeding, or through added nutrients/ingredients.
Nature has provided us with many fruits, vegetables, grains, fish, and dairy and meat products. All of them contain several natural components. These components convey benefits far beyond fundamental nutrition.
Examples :
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Lycopene, the functional food component, in tomato
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Omega-3 fatty acids in salmon
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Saponin in soybean
Note : For those of you who cannot resist tea and chocolate, there’s no need to worry. Recent studies suggest that tea and chocolate have functional food traits that are beneficial to our health.
The nutritional content of certain crops can also be engineered through the same agricultural techniques that are used to bring about beneficial traits in plants and animals. To think of just two major examples: beta-carotene-rich rice and vitamin-enhanced soybean.
While research is going on to improve the nutritional quality of many other crops, there are countless examples of fortified foods available in the market. Orange juice, for instance, is fortified with calcium. Likewise, cereals and flour, with added vitamins or minerals, or folic acid, are also available.
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Important Health Benefits Of Functional Foods
Research suggests that eating functional foods on a regular basis can help reduce the risk of illness. It can also aid in the management of many diseases. These include heart disease, gastrointestinal problems, menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis, eye affections, cancer, and so on.
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Getting More Functional Foods In Our Diet
There is no single magic potion or formula that can cure or prevent health affections. The best and easiest thing for us to do is quite simple. Eat a balanced and varied diet. This should include at least 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables, everyday, as well as foods with added beneficial components.
We should also learn to read labels and scan through what experts advise through articles in the media. However, before you decide to make any major dietary changes, you need to take adequate time to weigh up your personal health. So, speak to your physician or nutritionist on ways that can help reduce your risk of certain diseases.
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How To Derive The Full, Healthy Benefits Of Functional Foods?
By eating wisely.
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Any Other Advice?
Never overeat. Because, too much of a good thing isn’t always a good thing!
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