Some foods provide you with both nutritional value and health benefits. Such foods are called functional foods. Looking at it generally, we can say that all or most foods are functional since all foods contribute to your health. However, the term “functional food” is specific to foods that provide additional health benefits beyond those covered by basic nutrition.
The scope of functional foods goes beyond natural foods. Minimally processed whole foods and enriched or fortified foods are also functional foods. Food can be modified to add more of the existing phytochemicals or a new one to enhance its health benefits.
Examples of functional foods
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, functional foods can be grouped into four categories: conventional foods, modified foods, medical foods, and foods for special dietary use.
Conventional functional foods
Conventional functional foods contain high amounts of phytochemicals that promote health. Examples are whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli which contain vitamins A, C, and K are particularly known for their high anti-oxidant and antiinflammatory properties.
Herbs are also conventional functional foods. Asians have understood this fact for as long as ever, making it a habit to drink tea often. Based on research, it has been discovered that people who drink green tea often can lower their chances of coming down with a cognitive disorder by 64%.
Modified functional foods
Modified functional foods–which include fortified, enriched, and enhanced foods–are foods that have been made more beneficial to health by adding essential nutrients or other beneficial ingredients.
Iodized salt is an example of a fortified functional food. Natural salt only has a small amount of iodine, but it is fortified with iodine to improve its health-related benefits. Bread is not your typical functional food. However, when enriched with folate, it becomes much more beneficial to your health. Energy bars and yogurts formulated with gut-regulating microbes are enhanced functional foods.
These foods are considered functional because of the added benefits they provide for preventing diseases and ensuring a good nutrition supply.
Medical functional foods
Medical functional foods are rare to find on a supermarket shelf or in markets. They are restricted to medical use and are often very helpful. These foods are specifically used to help people with certain ailments and are used under the supervision of a physician or health practitioner. For example, a patient suffering from dysphagia may have to rely on fluid thickeners to meet their daily fluid requirement. Special infant formulas, formulations for metabolic disorders, and oral rehydration drinks are other examples of medical functional foods.
Foods for special dietary use
Foods for special dietary use include weight-loss foods and lactose-free foods. These foods address physiologic or psychologic issues. They aim to achieve a specific health requirement or protect the health of the person taking it. If you were lactose intolerant, any lactose-containing food could be a potentially life-threatening food. But with the help of lactose-free foods, you can meet your daily nutritional requirements and protect your digestive health.
The difference between these types of foods and medical foods is that they are commercially available and do not require a physician’s supervision. Infant formula is also a food for special dietary use since infants cannot take the regular food adults eat.
Health benefits of functional foods
Some expected health benefits from functional foods include lowering blood sugar and cholesterol, anti-oxidant activity, prophylaxis of age-related sight deterioration, treatment of constipation, and cardioprotective properties.
Unsalted nuts are magnesium-containing functional foods that help to manage blood pressure. People with high blood sugar levels would benefit from incorporating whole grains into their diet. If there’s one fatty food that you should take for a healthier heart, it is fatty fish. Fatty fish contain omega-3 fatty acids which have protective properties on the heart.
What you should know about functional foods
Because the FDA has not really defined what a functional food is, certain manufacturers use the name unworthily. It is safer to verify these claims when purchasing any food, especially packaged ones, all in the name of being a functional food. You have to remember that these manufacturers or shop owners can do anything–exaggerate even–to sell you a product. Whether the food claims to be gut-regulating or cancer-preventing, do your due diligence and confirm the facts. You can use any medical reference material online or speak with a doctor.
It is also important to note that sometimes, for these functional foods to affect you, they require synergy from other foods and your lifestyle. For example, supplementing fatty fish with foods heavy in cholesterol will not allow the cardioprotective effect of the fatty fish to be seen.
Some people claim that functional foods are not very palatable, but this is only a myth. With proper cooking techniques and seasoning, even the blandest of meals can become lip-smackingly delicious.
Is there anything like “too much” with functional foods?
The answer is yes. The beauty of things is best seen in moderation. If you have too little of a nutrient, it is malnutrition. If you have too much of that same nutrient, it is also malnutrition. A balanced supply of minerals and nutrients is what makes us healthy. Remember, functional foods elicit medicinal effects. Taking them excessively could be synonymous with taking drugs in excess. Oranges contain vitamin C, so they have antioxidant activity. But when you take an excess amount of vitamin C, it leads to abdominal cramping.
Nevertheless, with fruits and vegetables, you would have to consume extremely large amounts to reach the point of “too much.”
The takeaway
Functional foods offer enhanced health benefits beyond basic nutrition, falling into four categories: conventional (whole foods like fruits and vegetables), modified (fortified or enriched foods), medical (specialized foods for specific ailments), and foods for special dietary use (lactose-free or weight-loss foods). These foods provide a range of health benefits. However, consuming them in moderation is essential, verifying claims, and combining them with a balanced diet and lifestyle for optimal effects. This way, you can harness the potential of functional foods to support your overall well-being.
