Functional Foods - Hammerstedt, Amy E.

Functional Foods: What Ro~eDo They Play in Your Diet?
Have you ever eaten broccoli? Odds are
that you have, but you may not have
known that you were eating a functional
food. In fact, somepeople have even
called broccoli a superfood. Although
there isn't a legal definition for either of
these terms, a commonly used definition
,
@ for a functional food is one that has
fight heart disease, aid in diminishing
joint pain, prevent memory loss, and
help them keep their eyesight healthy.n
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.
and beta-glucan, it is called a
phytochemical (phyto = plant). If it is de~ Whal: Are 'the Benefits
rived from animals it is called a
Jr of lFunci:ionaD foods?
zoochemical (zoo = animal). Hearthealthy, omega-3 fatty acids, found in
Functional foods are being used by health
care professionals to thwart patients'
been shown to have a positive effect on
fatty fish such as salmon and sardines,
chronic diseases and, in some situations,
your health beyond its basic nutrients
("superfood" is a more trendy term often
are considered zoochemicals. The accompanying table provides a list of cur-
as an economical way to treat a disease,
For example, many doctors send their
used in the media to highlight that a food
has functional and healthy properties)?
rently known compounds in foods that
have been shown to provide positive
patients to a registered dietitian (RD) for
diet advice to treat specific medical con-
Broccoli is a functional food because it is
health benefits, Manufacturers are promoting foods containing naturally occur-
ditions, such as an elevated blood cholesterollevel, rather than automatically
ring phytochemicals and zoochemicals
and have also begun fortifying other food
prescribing cholesterol-lowering medication. Eating a diet that contains a sub-
products with these compounds. You can
stantial amount of cholesterol-lowering
buy margarine with added plant sterols
and a cereal with the soluble fiber, psyl-
oats or plant sterols is less expensive,
and often more appealing, than taking
rich in beta-carotene, which, in addition
to being a key source of vitamin A, helps
protect your cells from damaging substances that can increase your risk of
some chronic diseases, such as heart
disease, In other words, the betacarotene's function goes beyond its basic
nutritional role as a source of vitamin A,
because it may also help fight heart disease. Broccoli is also a cruciferous veg'----'"
If the beneficial compound in the food
is derived from plants, such as in the
case of beta-carotene, isothiocyanates,
etable, which, along with cauliflower and
brussels SPI'outS,is part of the cabbage
family, These vegetables contain compounds such as isothiocyanates, which
may also be "super" at fighting cancer,
Oats are also a functional food and
sometimes also referred to as a superfood, because they contain the soluble
fiber beta-glucan, which has been shown
to lower blood cholesterol levels. This can
~playa positive role in lowerinq the risk for
heart disease.s
functional foods Foods that have a
positive effect on health beyond providing basic nutrients,
phytochemicals
costly prescription medication. Ideally, the
RD, who is trained in the area of nutrition,
can recommend the addition of functional
(see table),
foods to the diet based on the person's
own medical history and nutritional
Are People BUlfung
Functional Foods?
needs,
Yes, people are buying them. Americans
spent more than $31 billion in 2008 on
functional foods and beverages, and the
market is predicted to grow to more than
$40 billion through 2013 as more consumerstake a self-care approach
to their health.? In one survey
of 1,OOO-plusAmerican
adults, more than 55 percent were changing the
types of foods they eat
in order to improve
their health."?
Baby boomers,
Plant chemicals
that have been shown to reduce the risk
of certain diseases such as cancer and
heart disease, Beta-carotene
chemicaL
zoochemlcets
lium, which both help to lower blood cholesterollevels, as well as pasta and eggs
that have had omega-3 fatty acids added
Compounds
is a phyto-
in ani-
mal food products that are beneficial to
human health. Omega-3 fatty acids are
an example of zoochernicals.
in particular - the
generation of
people born between 1946 and
1964 - are eager not only
to live longer than their parents, but also, to live better. They
are turning to functional foods to
However, problems can arise when
consumers haphazardly add functional
foods to their diets.
This Compound
Found in This/These Functional Food(s)
May Have This Health Benefit
Beta-carotene
Carrots, pumpkin, cantaloupe, broccoli
Functions as an antioxidant in the body
Lycopene
Tomatoes, tomato sauce
May lower risk of prostate cancer
Soy protein
Tofu, soy milk
Lowers risk of heart disease
Beta-glucan
Oatmeal, oats, oat bran
Lowers blood cholesterol
Plant sterol and stano I esters
Fortified margarines, like Benecol spreads
Omega-3 fatty acids
Salmon, sardines, tuna
Whole grains
~
1.V
Whole-wheat bread,
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Lowers blood cholesterol
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,:v".1: ..
May reduce the risk of heart disease
1': ~:
~''''t..:t~~.c
May reduce
the risk of some cancers
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brown rice, popcorn
Flavanols
Dark chocolate, green apples
Anthocyanins
Berries, red grapes, cherries
Act as antioxidants, may contribute to
brain function
Probiotics
Active cultures in fermented dairy products
Supports intestinal health
.'
,-'
~
May contribute to heart health
such as yogurt
Source: Adapted from IFIC, Functional Foods, Available at www.ific.org.
Accessed April 2010.
priately about how much of such a food
to consume. Finally, while functional
What Concerns
Are Associated with
Functional Foods?
With so many labeling claims now adorn-
foods do convey health benefits, they are
not magic elixirs that can negate a poor
enhanced water, can have more calories
and added sugar than cola.t-
How to Use Functional
Foods
ing products on supermarket shelves,
diet. The best way to use functional foods
consumers have an array of enhanced
functional foods from which to choose,
is as part of a healthy diet that can help
Functional foods can be part of a healthy,
well-balanced diet. Keep in mind that
prevent adverse health conditions from'
occurring in the first place.
As with most dietary substances,
vegetable oils, lean meat and dairy products, fish, and poultry all contain varying
Having so many options can be confusing,
Consumers often cannot tell if a pricey
whole grains, fruits, vegetables, healthy
box of cereal with added "antioxidants
problems may arise if too much is con-
amounts of naturally occurring phyto-
to help support the immune system" is
sumed. For example, whereas consuming
really better than an inexpensive breakfast
of oatmeal and naturally antioxidant_ rich orange juice. There is also a concern
some omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce the risk of heart disease, consuming
chemicals and zoochemicals and are the
quintessential functional foods, If you
that after eating a bowl of this
antioxidant-enhanced cereal, consumers
may think they are "off the hook" about
eating healthfully the rest of the day. Often, more than one serving of a functional
food is needed to reap the beneficial
too much can be problematic for people
on certain medications or for those at risk
for a specific type of stroke.12 A person
. can unknowingly overconsume a dietary
compound if his or her diet contains
many different functional foods en-
effect of the food compound, but the
hanced with the same compound.
Also, functional beverages, such
consumer hasn't been educated appro-
as herbal beverages or vitamin-
consume other, packaged functional
foods, take care not to overconsume any
one compound. Seek out an RD for
sound nutrition advice on whether you
would benefit from added functional
foods, and, if so, how to balance them in
your diet.
-_Functional Foods: What Role 00 They Play in Your Diet?
,---}-
Read the "article" and complete the following tasks.
Task A-Answer in complete sentences the following questions.
You may answer these
1.
What food is introduced
2.
3.
4.
What is a functional food?
How does the media "define" a functional food?
What are the two nutrients that have "super" function in broccoli?
as a "super food"?
5.
6.
7.
individual eating it?
Cruciferous vegetables include ..... and are part of the
family.
These vegetables contain what compound that is known to help fight what illness?
Phytochemical is to plant as
is to animal.
8.
9.
Manufacturers are now doing what with these "super foods"?
How much money has been spent on such foods and beverages?
How do they benefit the
10. What are the baby boomers looking for in these functional foods besides living longer?
Task B-Reading from "What Are the Benefits of Functional Foods?" on ... take a few of your own notes
and develop two good questions and record your proposed answers. Your questions should not reflect
anyone else's.
Nutrition in the Real World: Functional Foods:
What Role Do They Play in Your Diet?