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Functional foods
Although not officially having any definition of their own, functional foods
are known to be health-enhancing foods that provide:
- Physiological benefit, or
- Reduce the risk of chronic disease
These effects are above and or beyond their normal/basic nutritional values.
Functional foods have been around for many years, but their popularity is gaining
great momentum especially in countries such as Japan and Sweden, where extensive
research on functional foods has been performed. In fact Sweden is the world
leader in the development of functional foods.
As one of the fasted growing food markets, functional foods have taken on a
new dimension over the past decade as the proposed health benefits they may
bring with them have gripped both the public and scientific communities with
equal measure.
There are many factors that are driving the research on functional foods and
these include:
- Increased consumer appreciation of disease/diet links
- Rising cost of health care
- Advances in food technology
- Highly desirable health benefits:
- Cholesterol reduction
- Cardiovascular disease prevention/treatment
- Osteoporosis prevention/treatment
- High blood pressure fighting abilities
- Diabetes treatment
- Menopause treatments
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