For many centuries there has been a belief that foods and herbs have health-giving and curative properties. In this century, we have increasingly turned to drugs to treat or prevent diseases. The realization by consumers and food manufacturers that attention to diet as part of healthy lifestyle, can help reduce disease risk and promote health has created a lucrative market for a whole range of new products called ‘functional foods’
Functional foods are foods that can prevent or treat diseases. Few synonyms for functional foods are nutraceuticals, pharmafoods and designer foods. These foods are not capsules, tablets or powders which are derived from naturally occurring ingredients. Secondly, they can and should be consumed as part of the daily diet and thirdly they have a particular function when ingested, serving to regulate a particular body process, such as enhancement of the biological defence mechanisms, prevention of a specific disease, control of physical and mental emotion or slowing down the ageing process.
It has a positive effect on a person’s health, physical performance or state of mind. Food also acts like an antioxidant Detoxifying agent, blocking and suppressing agent. Probiotics help in maintaining interest in bacterial balance. Food not a nutrient plays an important role in the prevention of diseases and promoting health. Functional food should be included in a balanced diet of all age groups. The functional foods concept has been motivated by number of factors in humans are increasingly concerned about debilitating illness such as cancer high cholesterol heart disease and osteoporosis.
Including the increasing life expectancy of people in developed countries at the same time many is humans are elected to rely on prescription medications to treat or prevent the illness so their increasing examining the link between diet and health they prefer diet as a better option there are also rising healthcare cost there are advances in food and ingredients technology and scientists in the food industry are physically conducting research to understand the health benefits of certain food ingredients that calcium soil antioxidants plant sterols and herbs.
Increasing millions of consumers to buy health products is being recognised by many of the world's M 4 companies and their responded by developing new products it is prebiotics probiotics tailored fats and oils and vitamin and minerals are phytochemical in which foods with low fat low salter high fibre foods which are becoming common.
Social future generali group into three categories
First, foods fortified with nutritional ingredients in dentistry deficiency based diseases Second, foods containing microorganisms beneficial promoting healthy internal flora Third, foods that support normal metabolic pathways through physiological enzymatic influence including genetically modified foods.
Whole foods represent the simplest example of functional foods broccoli carrots and tomatoes are considered as functional foods because they contain high amounts of physiologically active components sulforaphane beta carotene and lycopene respectively green leafy vegetables and spices like mustard and termites are also examples.
Wheat helps in reducing risk of colon cancer, oats help in reducing risk of colon cancer and increases heart health. Soyabean and soyabean base foods helps in reducing menopausal symptoms protects heart against diseases and hormone dependent cancer flaxseed oil helps in reducing risk of cardiovascular diseases carrots helps in counteracting free radicals and also reduces the risk of cancer and is anti aging.
Cruciferous vegetables and anticancer properties Alliums that is onion and garlic have anticancer and hypocholesterolemic properties. Green leafy vegetables are antioxidant, tomatoes have a reduced risk of certain cancers like prostate cancer and citrus fruits have anticancer properties. Functional beverages juices, sports drinks, energy drinks, herbal teas have for many years been promoted for the relaxing and revive in properties function teaser in Indian market to such as green tea black tea white etc
A healthful eating style, which includes a variety of foods from each food group, prepared in a healthful way, can help you meet your nutrient needs and reduce your risk for various chronic diseases. Focus on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein foods and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. For more information on functional foods or developing an eating plan that is right for you, find a registered dietitian nutritionist in your area.
The study of functional foods and nutraceuticals is not limited to sickness management exercise and wellness management to the role play of functional food is non clinical management and includes day-to-day healthcare management with preventative properties functional food science deal with the knowledge providing an opportunity to prevent diet related disease example type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, hypertension, certain types of cancer and osteoporosis. The functional food concept goes beyond the borders of basic nutrition.
Thanks Giving
This article is written and submitted to The E Today by Shrushti Mehta.
We thank her for her research and analysis and hope to see the awarenesses about health and nutrition being spread ahead to larger mass of our citizens.