Functional food is one that improves the quality of life, has a beneficial effect on our he alth and well-being, and reduces the risk of disease. It is divided into probiotic, prebiotic and enriched. So choose foods that will have a positive effect on your he alth.

The original definition of " functional food " originated in Japan as part of the FOSHU program. She referred to it asfoodwhich, based on proven knowledge of the existence of evidence of a relationship between food or its ingredients and he alth, may have a beneficial effect on he alth. The International Food Information Council (IFIC) defines functional food as food that provides he alth benefits beyond nutritional (nutritional) benefits. According to the Scientific Consensus on the Concept of Functional Foods, which was the result of the work of the European Commission "Functional Food Science in Europe" (FUFOSE), a food can be considered functional if its he alth benefits over the nutritional effect are scientifically proven and it has ingredients that act to improve one or more functions of the human body, positively influencing he alth and well-being, and / or reducing the risk of disease.

What is functional food

According to the European Consensus on the Scientific Concept of Functional Food, it must have the following properties:

  • it remains conventional food (so it includes food products intended for general, everyday use) and is part of a normal diet, i.e. it cannot be served in the form of tablets, dragees, capsules, etc.
  • should have, in addition to natural ingredients, an increased concentration of the active ingredient present in it or an addition of an active ingredient that is not contained in the food itself,
  • should have a scientifically proven beneficial effect on the he alth of the body over the nutritional effect resulting from the consumption of such food in amounts characteristic of a given food
  • can improve well-being and he alth or reduce the risk of disease, improving the quality of life
  • is to have appropriate nutrition claims andhe alth care, based on scientific research with the use of appropriate bio-markers, characteristic for a specific process of transformation and functioning of an organ.
Important
  • There are several types of such labels in Europe. In Poland, the most commonly used system is the GDA (indicated daily intake), informing about the amount of energy and certain selected nutrients that a he althy person should consume during the day. It is a voluntary initiative of food producers to provide the consumer with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions.
  • Currently, the EU structures are implementing a system regulating the use of the so-called nutrition and he alth claims made relating to the food.

Food with added phytosterols

Functional foods include foods with the addition of phytosterols, i.e. compounds that reduce the absorption ofcholesterolfrom the gastrointestinal tract. They are used in people with hypercholesterolaemia. In Poland, they are margarines or yoghurts with their addition.

Probiotic food

Another group is probiotic products. One definition describes a probiotic as "a preparation or product containing a sufficient amount of live, defined microorganisms that alter the microflora in certain segments of the host organism and thus have a beneficial effect on its he alth." Live bacteria are introduced into selected food products (especially dairy products) in such a form and quantity that they survive in the upper gastrointestinal tract (especially in the presence of acidic gastric contents and bile in the duodenum), and then temporarily settle and be active in the small intestine or thick.

Prebiotic foods

In turn, prebiotics are ingredients present or introduced into food to stimulate the development of beneficial microflora of the large intestine. Dietary fiber also has a positive effect on lowering blood cholesterol levels and has a positive effect on maintaining appropriate blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Soluble fiber is used primarily in fruit drinks, while insoluble fiber is used in breakfast drinks in order to obtain a feeling of satiety. Products enriched with fiber include, for example, yoghurts with cereal grains, dark bread with the addition of bran.

Enriched foods

Another group of functional foods is fortified foods. Its consumption is important in ensuring an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals in the daily diet, and thus reducing the risk of disorders resulting from theirshortage. Food can be enriched with preparations of single vitamins, mixtures of properly selected vitamins, vitamin and mineral mixtures. Due to the beneficial importance of omega-3 fatty acids for he alth, they began to be added to various products: spreads, milk, yoghurts, fruit drinks, breakfast cereals, bread, salad oils, mayonnaise and others.

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