What Are ‘Functional Foods’
Concepts in nutrition have expanded to adopting and emphasizing the daily use of ‘Functional Foods’ - containing physiologically active components -as proficient promoters of a state of better health and overall well-being.
As humanity sought ‘Foods That Could Heal’, Functional Food science successfully emerged at the end of the 20th century, and has gained momentum during recent years in direct response to the rise in healthcare costs as well as to the increase in average life expectancy. These factors - together with the desire to enjoy a more energetic life - have motivated the public to seek the help of nutritional resources that could develop as convenient and inexpensive solutions to either prevent or better manage disease , and thus result in a higher quality of health and of life, without facing adverse side effect consequences in the process.
If looking for a working definition, a food can be said to be ‘Functional‘ if it contains a component or components (whether or not these are nutrients) that benefits one or a limited number of functions in the body in a targeted way that is relevant to either the state of well-being and health or the reduction of the risk of a disease, or if it has physiologic or psychologic effect beyond the traditional nutritional effect already expected from its utilization. Accordingly, the positive effects of a ‘Functional Food’ can be either maintaining a state of well-being and health or reducing the risk of pathologic consequences.
Functional Foods are also very important for Athletes, at both the elite and the recreational levels. According to the International Olympic Committee Report on Nutrition, all athletes should adopt specific nutrition strategies that can optimize mental and physical performance and support good health, especially as to be able to perform to their best, Athletes put their bodies through intense physical activity on a continuous basis, which results in a state of Oxidative Stress (accumulation of damaging free radicals) - which, if not counteracted with antioxidant nutrition, can take a toll on their immune system function.
As humanity sought ‘Foods That Could Heal’, Functional Food science successfully emerged at the end of the 20th century, and has gained momentum during recent years in direct response to the rise in healthcare costs as well as to the increase in average life expectancy. These factors - together with the desire to enjoy a more energetic life - have motivated the public to seek the help of nutritional resources that could develop as convenient and inexpensive solutions to either prevent or better manage disease , and thus result in a higher quality of health and of life, without facing adverse side effect consequences in the process.
If looking for a working definition, a food can be said to be ‘Functional‘ if it contains a component or components (whether or not these are nutrients) that benefits one or a limited number of functions in the body in a targeted way that is relevant to either the state of well-being and health or the reduction of the risk of a disease, or if it has physiologic or psychologic effect beyond the traditional nutritional effect already expected from its utilization. Accordingly, the positive effects of a ‘Functional Food’ can be either maintaining a state of well-being and health or reducing the risk of pathologic consequences.
Functional Foods are also very important for Athletes, at both the elite and the recreational levels. According to the International Olympic Committee Report on Nutrition, all athletes should adopt specific nutrition strategies that can optimize mental and physical performance and support good health, especially as to be able to perform to their best, Athletes put their bodies through intense physical activity on a continuous basis, which results in a state of Oxidative Stress (accumulation of damaging free radicals) - which, if not counteracted with antioxidant nutrition, can take a toll on their immune system function.
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Aging, stress, lack of sleep and poor nutrition, but also excessive physical activity can all drive our immune system function out of balance, thus debilitating our body’s utmost important self-defense against infection, disease and cancer. It is when a comprehensive powerful combination of Functional Foods such as BioActivPro TM could effectively come to our rescue - with its protein building and antioxidant prowess, which help balance immune function by enhancing the metabolism of both zoonutrients and phytonutrients, and boost energy & performance levels, in addition to building muscle mass and strength, among many other relevant health benefits.
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