Do you want to prevent getting sick?

Uncommon functional food benefits for the body

- CHESHIRE QUE, RND, RN, RD

Functional food is a current trend that has been gaining popularity, especially post-pandemic.

People are more health-conscious and want to prevent the development of diseases by boosting their immune defenses. What are functional food, and what do they contain that could not only prevent illnesses but also possibly reverse disease conditions?

Functional food is different from herbal medicines like dong quai, St. John’s wort, etc., and dietary supplements such as ascorbic acid or vitamin C, ferrous sulfate or iron, and the like.

Herbal medicines are used to treat medical conditions just like Western drugs. On the other hand, isolated vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, essential fatty acids like omega-3, and isolated metabolites of antioxidants like resveratrol, glutathione, etc., are considered dietary supplements. They are meant to be taken only to correct nutrient imbalances when needed and must not be taken randomly because their concentration may cause imbalances of other nutrients. Isolated or chemically derived antioxidant supplements may also reduce the efficacy of certain medications, like chemotherapeutic drugs.

All plant food sources are functional in nature because they contain phytochemicals and fiber. Some even have essential fatty acids like omega-3 found in psyllium, oats, and more.