Functional Food: What It Is and What It Does
The concept of functional food originated in Japan in the 1980s. At that time, certain government agencies began approving foods that had established health benefits to help improve the health of the population. “In Japanese culture, food was believed to have three purposes: primary, which provided nourishment; secondary, which provided taste, texture, and smell; and tertiary, which could provide positive physiological changes,” according to the article What Are Functional Foods on the Restaurantware website. Tertiary foods were considered functional foods.
Functional food is defined as “Having ingredients that offer health benefits that extend beyond their nutritional value. Some types contain supplements or other additional ingredients designed to improve health,” according to the article What Are Functional Foods: All You Need to Know, by Katherine Marengo LDN on the healthline website.
Fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole and ancient grains, legumes, and seeds can be considered functional foods as can foods that have been fortified with vitamins, minerals, probiotics, or fiber. Therefore, there are two categories of functional foods: conventional and modified.
Conventional Functional Foods
Conventional functional foods are natural foods that are full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and healthy fats.
Fruits: pears, apples, peaches, bananas, oranges, berries
Vegetables: kale, spinach, broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower
Nuts: almonds, cashews, pistachios, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts
Ancient Grains: wild rice, millet, fonio, teff, quinoa, amaranth, sorghum
Legumes: beans, peas, lentils
Seeds: flax, hemp, chia, pumpkin
Modified Functional Foods
Modified functional foods have been fortified with ingredients such as probiotics, fiber, minerals, and vitamins to increase their nutritional power. They include fortified eggs; fortified juices; fortified cereal and granola; fortified grains; fortified milk and yogurt; and fortified milk alternatives such as almond, rice, cashew, and coconut.
Health Benefits of Functional Foods
Whether conventional or modified, functional foods have a number of potential health benefits:
May Prevent Nutrient Deficiencies
High in vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and fibre, functional foods like cereals and dairy products can prevent nutrient deficiencies. As a matter of fact, since the introduction of modified functional foods, the prevalence of nutrient deficiencies has decreased worldwide, according to The Ultimate Guide To Functional Foods—and How To Use Them for Better Health, by Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RDN, LD on the health website. Fortification has been used to prevent iron deficiency, rickets, and birth defects.
May Promote Growth and Development
Functional foods contain specific nutrients, like omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, calcium, and vitamin B12 that infants and children need in order to grow and develop properly. Legumes support the growth of their muscles and fortified dairy products help build strong bones.
May Boost Immune Function
Because functional foods contain high amounts of vitamins and minerals, it is believed they can help prevent illness and heal injuries.
May Protect Against Chronic Disease
Some functional foods contain antioxidants that can help lower the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers; omega-3 fatty acids that can reduce inflammation, boost brain function, and improve heart health; and/or fiber that can help control blood sugar and prevent diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and stroke.
Adding functional foods to our diets can support a healthy lifestyle. When planning meals, consider including two functional foods, like vegetables and a lean protein, or other combination. However, keep in mind any allergies in the household and don’t add foods that will trigger them. As well, consuming too many fortified foods can pose a risk to some, so be mindful of eating moderate amounts of them. Functional foods not only provide us with the nutrition we need, they can also help us stay healthy.