Good health is not something we can buy, so it is important to protect your health through eating, exercising and a healthy lifestyle. However, in order to fully supplement the body, many people now choose to use functional foods. So what are the benefits of functional nutrition or functional foods? How to use? The following article will help you get more experience.
1. What is Functional Foods?
Functional foods are used to support the function of parts of the human body, have nutritional effects, create a comfortable state as well as increase resistance to reduce the risk of disease.
Currently, there are many different types of functional foods, from mineral and vitamin supplements such as vitamins A, C, E, B3, B6, … Omega 3,6,9, … to treatment supporting, health improvement functional foods.
2. Types of Functional Foods
Functional foods are divided into two types: conventional foods and modified foods.
Conventional foods provide all-natural ingredients, important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and heart-healthy fats.
Meanwhile, modified foods are fortified with some ingredients, such as vitamins, minerals, probiotics, or fiber, to further enhance the health benefits of that dish.
Here are some examples of conventional foods:
- Fruits: Berries, kiwis, pears, peaches, apples, oranges, bananas
- Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, zucchini
- Nuts: Almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts
- Seeds: Chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds
- Herbs and spices: Turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger
- Drinks: Coffee, green tea, black tea
Some examples of fortified supplements include: fortified juices, fortified dairy products, fortified nut milk like almonds, cashews, fortified grains.
3. Potential benefits of supplements
Prevent nutritional deficiencies
Supplements often contain many important nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and fiber. A food-rich diet combined with dietary supplements will ensure you receive all the nutrients you need and prevent nutrient deficiencies. In fact, with the introduction and widespread use of supplements, the global rate of nutrient deficiencies has decreased significantly. For example, after iron-fortified wheat flour was introduced in Jordan, the incidence of iron deficiency in children fell by almost half.
Functional foods prevent disease
Functional foods can be used as a preventive medicine – medication used for prophylaxis. It provides important nutrients that can help protect against disease. Some examples of disease preventive effects are as follows:
Antioxidant-rich supplements: These substances help neutralize harmful compounds called free radicals, helping to prevent cell damage and several chronic diseases, including heart disease and cancer and diabetes.
Omega-3 fatty acids supplements: This is a healthy fat that helps reduce inflammation, boost brain function and promote heart health.
Fiber-rich supplements: C may promote better blood sugar control and protect against conditions like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and stroke. Fiber can also help prevent digestive disorders, including colitis, stomach ulcers, hemorrhoids, and acid reflux.
Functional foods promote growth and development in children
Some functional foods provide nutrients that are essential for growth and development in infants and young children. For example, cereals, cereals and powders are often fortified with B vitamins like folic acid, which are essential for the health of the fetus.
In pregnant mothers, low levels of folic acid can increase the risk of neural tube defects, affecting the brain, spinal cord or spine. Scientists have estimated that increasing the intake of folic acid helps reduce the rate of neural tube defects by 50% – 70%.
Other nutrients commonly found in supplements also play a role in children’s growth and development, including omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, calcium and vitamin B12.
4. How to use functional foods?
Use more convetional foods: These include nutritious whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. These foods not only provide your body with essential vitamins and minerals, but also support overall health.
Add modified foods: A fortified supplement helps fill gaps in your diet to prevent nutrient deficiencies, as well as enhance health by boosting your diet, absorb important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, heart-healthy fats or probiotics.
5. Notes when using functional foods
Pay attention to origin, trademark
Currently, the market for functional foods is quite rampant, including knockoffs of poor quality, so it requires you to choose carefully to avoid falling into the situation of money loss. When buying, you need to find out some famous brands, carefully check the origin, origin and quality standards attached. At the same time, must ensure the product has passed strict quality censorship by the competent authority.
Only choose the nutrients the body needs
As we said, supplements come in a multitude of different types, but it’s important to choose the right nutrients your body needs in order to be effective. Therefore, you need to carefully read the ingredients and nutritional parameters on the outside of the box to make sure you buy the right kind and do not cause allergies or excess for the body.
Pay attention to the dosage used
This is also a very important factor that you need to pay attention to to avoid harm to health. You need to take supplements at the dosage prescribed by your doctor, you should not take them indefinitely, but need time to stop taking and then use again to avoid causing unhealthy side effects.
Hopefully, with a few notes above help you gain more knowledge of using functional foods properly to ensure safety for your health.
