Functional food
Functional foods which provides health benefits apart from the nutritional value. Along with nutritious ingredients such as vegetables and fruits there are also a category of fortified foods with vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Examples of functional foods
There are typically two types of functional foods: modified and conventional
Natural, whole-food ingredients make conventional foods abundant in vital nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and heart-healthy fats.
In the meantime, the health benefits of modified foods have been increased by adding additional ingredients like vitamins, probiotics, minerals, vitamins or fiber.
Some examples of conventional functional foods:
- Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, zucchini
- Fermented foods: tempeh, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi
- Beverages: coffee, green tea, black tea
- Nuts: almonds, cashews, pistachios, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts
- Seeds: chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, flex seeds
- Whole grains: oats, barley, buckwheat, brown rice, couscous
- Seafood: salmon, sardines, anchovies, mackerel, cod
- Herbs and spices: turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper
- Fruits: berries, apples, oranges, pears, kiwi, peaches, bananas
- Legumes: black beans, lentils, navy beans, chickpeas
Some examples that include modified functional foods:
- fortified milk alternatives, such as almond, rice, coconut, and cashew milk
- fortified grains, such as pasta and bread
- fortified cereal and granola
- fortified dairy products, such as milk and yogurt
- fortified eggs
- fortified juices
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