Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals-Modern Approach to Food Science

TLDR

Functional foods and nutraceuticals are increasingly viewed as a means to improve health, cut healthcare costs, and stimulate rural economies, a concept rooted in the ancient Hippocratic idea of food as medicine. This review defines functional foods and nutraceuticals, examines their differences, and discusses the challenges and opportunities driving their development and regulation. The article illustrates these concepts with examples such as probiotics, prebiotics, proteins, peptides, oils, fatty acids, carbohydrates, fibers, catechin, and lycopene, highlighting their health benefits.

Abstract

Functional foods and nutraceuticals provide an opportunity to improve the human health, reduce health care costs and support economic development in rural communities. The phrase Let food be th e medicine and medicine be the food, coined by Hippocrates over 2500 years ago is receiving a lot of interest today as food scientists and consumers realize the many health benefits of certain foods. This review article focused on the definition and differences between functional food and nutraceuticals. The challenges and opportunities, motivating the development and regulations of functional foods and nutraceuticals were discussed. This article also focused on some examples of the functional foods and nutraceuticals and their health benefits, like probiotics and prebiotics, proteins and peptides, oils and fatty acids, carbohydrates and fibers, catchine and lycopin.