Functional Foods

Juice that strengthens aging bones, immune system-boosting yogurt, salad dressings that lower cholesterol levels, and eggs that enhance eyesight. These items may sound like futuristic pharma-foods, but they’re already on supermarket shelves.

They’re called functional foods and they’re the fastest growing segment of the food industry. Thanks to biologically active compounds, these foods and beverages may prevent disease, says Clare Hasler, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Functional Foods for Health Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Over the past decade, scientists have identified thousands of biologically active compounds that are neither vitamin nor mineral but possess important health benefits. Researchers call these compounds phytochemicals (“phyto” is Greek for plant) when they occur in plants. Physiologically active compounds have also been found in fish, eggs, dairy products, and beef. For example, conjugated linoleic acid in dairy products appears to be anti-carcinogenic. Thousands of such compounds exist, but researchers only now understand their impact on health.

Nearly every major food manufacturer and pharmaceutical company has already introduced, or is planning to introduce functional foods. Americans already spend between roughly $20 billion per year on functional foods.

FDA loopholes
Some functional foods are delivery vehicles for over-the-counter medicine. For example, some physicians recommend Benecol (a margarine made from wood pulp) or Take Control (an extract from soy beans) in lieu of prescribing cholesterol-lowering medication because both products contain chemicals produced by plants that look like cholesterol but are different enough that your body can’t absorb them. Hasler predicts that supermarket aisles in the future may be organized by health condition, such as heart disease, cancer, menopause, or diabetes.

These uberfoods sound promising, but many don’t live up to their claim. Although the Food and Drug Administration is responsible for ensuring that products live up to their health claim, many products are marketed without meeting the agency’s requirements. A general rule is that large, reputable food companies almost always comply with the FDA’s regulations because they don’t want to tarnish their reputation, while smaller companies may take greater risks because they are less likely to be hassled. Many sports nutrition companies fall into the latter category. Energy bars that claim to contain ingredients that help burn fat faster are bogus, for example.

Other companies try to forgo the rigorous health claim process by labeling their products dietary supplements. Supplement labels can make general claims such as “boosts the immune system” and “helps maintain proper digestion.” Companies are supposed to supply the FDA with documentation supporting their claim, but many don’t, and the FDA lacks the resources to double-check these claims.

Too much of a good thing?
Some scientists are concerned that the proliferation of functional foods will disrupt the body’s delicate balance of nutrients and phytonutrients. “We need to be aware that certain people may respond adversely to excessive nutrients or phytochemical,” says Beverly Clevidence, Ph.D., a research leader at the US Department of Agriculture’s phytonutrients laboratory. Clevidence adds that some people may be more prone to developing kidney stones if they consume too much calcium. And it’s easy to exceed the recommended 2,500 milligrams of calcium per day if you eat calcium-enriched products. “We don’t know the long-term consequences of consuming such high levels of calcium,” she said.

Another example is people with autoimmune-type diseases. Because their immune systems are chronically over stimulated, compounds that boost immune function only exacerbate their condition.

Before rushing to the supermarket to purchase the next fab functional food, consider the most important aspects of nutrition: balance, variety and moderation. If the food doesn’t fit into a food group and isn’t inherently healthy, skip it. A diet rich in plant-based foods and exercising is the best bet for your health. Functional foods are not a magic bullet for a poor diet or sedentary lifestyle. It may be that phytochemicals and other functional ingredients in foods work best when they are provided by nature. 

Nature’s Best Functional Foods
Functional Food	Key Component	Potential Health Benefit
Apples	Quercetin	Reduces risk for cancer
Beef	Conjugated linoleic acid	Reduces risk for cancer
Black and green tea	Catechins	Reduces risk for cancer
Broccoli	Sulforaphane	Reduces risk for cancer
Citrus Fruit	Limonoids	Reduces risk for cancer
Fish	Omega-3 fatty acids	Reduces risk for heart disease
Fruits and vegetables	Carotenoids and other phytochemicals	Reduces risk for cancer and heart disease
Flaxseed	Lignins	Reduces risk for cancer
Garlic	Allicin	Reduces risk for cancer
Oats/oat-containing foods	Beta-glucan soluble fiber	Reduces cholesterol
Purple grapes/grape juice	Polyphenols	Reduces risk for heart disease
Soy foods	Isoflavones	Reduces cholesterol
Tomatoes/tomato-based foods	Lycopene	Reduces risk for cancer
Yogurt and fermented dairy	Probiotic bacterium	Improves gastrointestinal health
Adapted from University of Illinois Functional Foods for Health Program

The Real Deal YVES Veggie Cuisine Ground Round. This soy-based ground meat alternative is fat free but provides 10 grams of healthful soy protein per serving and 3 grams of dietary fiber. In addition to being heart-healthy, the IVES soy products are fortified with minerals such as iron, zinc, B12, riboflavin, and thiamin that are harder to obtain when eating a diet low in animal-based foods. Stonyfield Farm Yogurt. Unlike other yogurts in the United States, Stonyfield Farm contains six live cultures, called probiotics, which help keep healthy bacteria throughout the gastrointestinal tract. (Most other national brands of yogurt contain two live, active cultures.) Stonyfield Yogurts also contain L.Rueteri, a bacterium that has been shown to help prevent diarrhea and stimulate the immune system. Viactiv Soft Calcium Chews. These chocolate or caramel chews provide 500 mg calcium per chew, as well as other bone-building nutrients such as vitamin D and K. Gold Circle Farms Eggs. These omega-3-enriched eggs contain 150 mg of heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids compared to 18 mg in a regular egg. Because omega-3s are so hard to get into the diet, this application is excellent. Calcium-fortified 100 percent fruit juices. Juices made from 100 percent juice are more often the most nutritious fruit beverages available. Adding calcium and other nutrients such as vitamin E make the drinks even better.

The Fakes Robert’s American Gourmet Veggie Snacks. This line of baked snack chips are laced with vegetables or herbal supplements. The amount of vegetables or herbs in a typical serving provides no known health benefits. It’s junk food that’s still junk food. Calcium-fortified fruit beverages. Adding the calcium equivalent of a glass of milk to a juice drink that contains only 5 to 10 percent fruit juice is akin to fortifying soda. The added calcium doesn’t make up for the lack of the many phytonutrients in 100 percent fruit juices. Plus, since there are many calcium-fortified 100 percent juices, there’s no sense in buying juices lacking real fruit juice. Super Donuts. These donuts are fortified with more than 10 vitamins and minerals plus protein, but they’re still fried, making them high in fat and calories. Super Donuts provide more than 250 calories each and 10 or more grams of fat per 3-ounce donut. SOBE Lean. This low-calorie, artificially sweetened SOBE beverage claims to be a weight-management drink because it contains metabolic enhancers such as chromium and L-carnitine. There is no evidence that either of these ingredients will help you lose body fat and gain muscle mass. Like several other products in the SOBE beverage line, don’t believe the hype on the label. Think! Bar. This high-fat and sugar-rich energy bar claims that it can improve your memory through its special ingredients, namely L-glutamine, ginkgo, gotu kola, and ginseng. While there have been studies suggesting that ginkgo and ginseng may improve circulation and memory, the data is far from conclusive.