Q: What are ""functional foods""? Are they healthy?
A: There is no universally accepted definition of functional foods. The International Food Information Council defines functional foods as ""foods that may provide additional health benefits beyond basic nutrition."" Under this definition, unprocessed foods such as strawberries that naturally contain antioxidants would be considered a functional food along with processed fortified foods.
Functional foods have recently gained attention for many reasons, including public interest in diet's relation to disease prevention and changes in laws affecting food label claims.
The American Dietetic Association states that functional foods, including whole foods and fortified, enriched or enhanced foods, have a potentially beneficial effect on health when consumed as part of a varied diet on a regular basis.
However, be aware that not all foods labeled as functional foods are necessarily healthy substitutions for whole, unmodified foods. Fortified products such as meal replacement bars may still contain excess sugars and saturated fats.
These products aren't harmful if you have them occasionally, but they are not healthy choices to replace meals and snacks everyday. All foods can be included in a healthy diet, but the key to health is still moderation and variety.
