Functional foods, More Than Nutrition

Compared with a decade ago, the awareness of the "function" specific foods for disease prevention are now much improved. Modern societies are also more interested in the fact that the food could serve as a remedy and prevent many diseases.


According to the International Food Information Council, functional foods are foods or food components that contain benefits beyond basic nutrition. The New York Times called it "food with benefits".


Experts said the food belonging to the functional foods have benefits far greater than we used to know. For example, fruits and vegetables that had been known only as a source of fiber appeared to have a component of cancer prevention, especially color.


Fruits such as blueberries or red cherries are rich in antioxidants called flavonoids. While carrots, spinach, or sweet potato contains antioxidants called carotenoids. Antioxidants are essential to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease by neutralizing free radicals.


Tomatoes, especially processed like a sauce, known to have the added benefit of lycopene, the antioxidant that has been shown to improve prostate health.
Group of vegetables that are also included in functional foods are broccoli and cauliflower is associated with decreased risk of cancer. Likewise, onions and garlic that has a detoxifying effect on the body.


Fish is another type of functional food that prevents heart disease and reduce hypertension. Salmon, tuna, and sardines contain omega-3 which is also known as the "good fats".
While the yogurt is not only rich in calcium to prevent osteoporosis and bone health, but also contains probiotics, the good bacteria needed to keep the immune system and digestive health.


In the beverage group, there is a red wine and white wine are also loaded with flavonoids and resveratrol is known to provide protective effects of diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Nevertheless, control your alcohol consumption is not more than one drink per day.


For those who do not consume wine, grapes or grape juice provides similar benefits. Likewise, the pomegranate juice that offers more antioxidants than other fruit juices.
Functional foods are also often added to food products to enhance their health potential. For example, butter is added to the omega-3, orange juice fortified with calcium, and many more.


However you should still be critical. Check the label lists nutrients in packaging. Sometimes these food products contain high sugar and contain no fiber. Some kinds of juice are also better made without added sugar.