Functional Foods Outline
• What are functional foods?
• What do we get from them?
• Which foods are functional foods?
• How to use them
In Whole FoodsBeta-carotene
Lycopene
Omega-3 fatty acids
Flavonoids
Phenols
Isoflavones
All are Phytochemicals
Class/Components Examples of Food Source
Potential Benefit
Lycopene Tomatoes & watermelon
Reduces risk of some cancers
Lutein &
Zeaxanthin
Kale, collards, spinach, corn, eggs
Helps maintain healthy vision
Whole grains Cereal grains Reduce risk for CHD and cancer
Beta-carotene Carrots, many fruits
Helps antioxidant defenses
Insoluble Fiber Wheat Bran Maintains a healthy GI tract
Enriched Foods• Enriched foods have
nutrients added back. • Grain enrichment
nutrients include:– Iron– Thiamin– Riboflavin– Niacin– Folate
Fortified Foods• Fortified foods: have
nutrients added that may not have been present in the original food.
• Examples:– Milk & margarine: vitamin A
– Orange Juice: calcium
– Some breakfast cereals
Enhanced Foods
• Foods that have ingredients added that are not vitamins and minerals
• Examples – – Soup and teas with added herbs– Cereal with added psyllium – Margarine with added plant sterol/stanol esters
Supplementary Products
• These can be:– Milk or juice based drinks– Fortified desserts– Energy and/or protein supplements– Vitamin or mineral supplements
FDA Approved Food Claims
• Calcium and osteoporosis
• Sodium and high blood pressure
• Saturated fat and cholesterol and cardiovascular disease
• Fiber in grains, fruits and vegetables and heart disease and cancer
• Fruits and vegetables and cancer
• Folate and neural tube defects in babies
Industry Requested Food Claims
• Sugar alcohols and dental decay
• Oats and heart disease• Foods containing
psyllium fiber and heart disease
• Soy protein and heart disease
• Plant sterol/stanol esters and heart disease
Not all claims are approved by the FDA
• May just describe a function or structure of a food or an ingredient – “Vitamin E is an antioxidant.”
• Cannot make a claim about preventing or controlling a disease
• On label, will say not approved by FDA.
Functional Foods are Not Magic
• Can even be dangerous– Cause allergies– Drug interactions– Drowsiness– Unknown amount and effect
• Not a substitute for real food• Not superior to a balanced diet or regular
medical treatment
Summary
• Functional foods are simply foods that have added nutritional benefits.
• To be safe, only use function foods that have FDA approved claims.
• Do not use functional foods to replace a balanced diet or regular medical treatment.