Functional Foods
Functional foods are foods or food ingredients that may have health benefits in addition to providing traditional nutrients such as protein, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals.
Functional foods may contain:
- new combinations or amounts of traditional nutrients
- new substances that are not generally known as nutrients
- a combination of the above
Examples of functional foods include:
- probiotics containing live beneficial bacteria
- food products containing phytoestrogens (for further information see Phytochemicals)
- cereal foods containing 'invisible fibre' (for further information see Fibre)
- margarines containing plant sterols (for further information see Cholesterol)
The number of functional foods available in Australia has grown considerably in recent times.
Advocates of functional foods argue that these foods have the ability to promote health and prevent disease in a new and exciting way. Alternatively, others feel that functional foods may encourage people to eat a limited number of 'super foods' to meet their nutritional needs rather than eating a variety of health foods.
Concerns have also been raised about the safety testing, regulation and promotion of functional foods. These are all areas that need to be considered carefully as more and more functional foods become available in Australia (for further information see Food Regulation)
An Accredited Practising Dietitian can provide more information and advice on functional foods and the role that they may play in a healthy diet.
