2. Functional Foods The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service

3. Functional Foods Outline What are functional foods? What do we get from them? Which foods are functional foods? How to use them

4. Functional Foods Foods that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition.

5. Functional foods may be: Whole Foods Enriched Foods Fortified Foods Enhanced Foods

6. In Whole Foods Beta-carotene Lycopene Omega-3 fatty acids Flavonoids Phenols Isoflavones All are Phytochemicals

7. Class/ComponentsExamples of Food Source Potential Benefit LycopeneTomatoes & watermelon Reduces risk of some cancers Lutein & Zeaxanthin Kale, collards, spinach, corn, eggs Helps maintain healthy vision Whole grainsCereal grainsReduce risk for CHD and cancer Beta-caroteneCarrots, many fruits Helps antioxidant defenses Insoluble FiberWheat BranMaintains a healthy GI tract

8. Enriched Foods Enriched foods have nutrients added back. Grain enrichment nutrients include: –Iron –Thiamin –Riboflavin –Niacin –Folate

9. 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

10. 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

11. Supplementary Products These can be: –Milk or juice based drinks –Fortified desserts –Energy and/or protein supplements –Vitamin or mineral supplements

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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.

17. True or False? All functional foods are approved by the FDA. Functional foods can be natural and fortified foods. It is OK to replace prescribed medicines with functional foods.