functionalfood
Functional foods are foods that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition, including potential reductions in disease risk or improvements in physiological function. They encompass conventional foods with added bioactive components and foods that naturally contain beneficial compounds. This category includes fortified or enriched products as well as items with probiotics, prebiotics, or other functional ingredients.
Common examples include cereals fortified with vitamins or minerals, dairy products enhanced with calcium or vitamin
The concept originated in Japan in the 1980s with government programs that allowed health-related claims on
Evidence supporting benefits is heterogeneous. Some products show modest effects on risk factors such as cholesterol
See also: nutraceuticals, dietary supplement, fortified foods, probiotics, prebiotics.