What are Functional Foods?
According to the British Nutrition Foundation, a functional food is defined as:
'A food with health-promoting benefits and/or disease preventing properties over and above its normal nutritional value.'
While a functional ingredient is defined as:
'a dietary ingredient that affects its host in a targeted manner so as to exert positive effects that may, in due course, justify certain health claims'
Examples of Functional Foods you may find in the supermarket
Look on any supermarket shelf and you'll see a whole range of functional foods:
- Products in which the amount of a component normally present is reduced or increased. E.g. breakfast cereals with added bran
- Products into which ingredients are introduced. E.g. fruit juice with added fibre
- Fermented dairy products with "functional" bacteria. E.g. yoghurts with Lactobacillus or bifidobacteria
- Sports drinks where ingredients have been formulated to replace lost fluids during exercise
- Products where slow release carbohydrates are present. Eg certain cereals
Do certain Functional Foods have specific benefits?
The role of some functional foods in promoting well being in relation to certain diseases is well documented. The benefits of cereals and baby food fortified with vitamins and minerals, for example, are particularly well accepted.
Lets look at some specific ingredients, claims and the theories behind their function:
- pre-biotic and pro-biotic bacteria - found in some types of yoghurt and fermented milk products. Pre-biotic bacteria cannot be metabolised by the body but stimulate the growth of certain other bacteria in the colon, thereby improving health. Pro-biotic bacteria improve the balance of bacteria in the gut, thereby reducing the risk of disease
- enriched with plant chemicals - found in margarines such as Benecol and Flora Proactive. These plant chemicals - or sterols - are similar in structure to cholesterol. They are absorbed by the gut and inhibit absorption of cholesterol. Studies have shown that they can significantly reduce LDL-cholesterol ('bad' cholesterol) and raise amounts of HDL-cholesterol ('good' cholesterol) in the blood
- fortified with folic acid - staple foods such as bread or breakfast cereals. Studies show that a good intake of folic acid or folate (vitamin B) reduces the risk of neural-tube defects, such as spina bifida, developing in unborn babies
- fortified with n-3 or Omega-3 lipids or fatty acids - eggs. Studies have shown that people whose diet is rich in fish - a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acid - have a lower incidence of heart disease than those who don't. Fish oils however contain a relatively low concentration of Omega-3 fatty acids. The nutritional supplement
Lyprinol is available with much higher concentrations of Omega-3 fatty acids. Derived from the New Zealand Green Lipped mussel, Lyprinol has been shown to have certain anti-inflammatory properties. It is therefore relevant to several diseases. The theory here is that the high concentrations of Omega-3 fatty acids and other unique marine lipids 'block' inflammatory metabolic pathways. Coastal Maori populations whose diet includes the Green Lipped Mussel have been shown to have a low incidence of arthritis.
In Sweden, seven categories of functional foods (and their corresponding target diseases) are officially recognised:
- Low energy foods (obesity)
- Low cholesterol (heart disease)
- Low sodium (blood pressure)
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids (inflammation)
- High fibre (constipation)
- Fermentable carbohydrates (dental carries)
- Iron (iron deficiency
Remember, Functional Foods shouldn't be seen as a quick fix. They can't substitute a sensible daily diet. It's important to eat a good balanced diet that includes plenty of foods including plenty of:
- fruit and vegetables
- starchy foods
- bread
- pasta
- rice or potatoes
- moderate amounts of meats and dairy products
- regular portions of fish (especially oily fish such as mackerel, salmon and sardines)
Regular exercise is also important. As is cutting down on fatty foods.
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