Author(s): Reema Kumari and Dubey Ritu

Abstract:
The term "functional food" refers to any food, processed or not, that, according to scientific research, can help the body accomplish particular operational goals and is crucial for preventing degenerative diseases and promoting health. Because functional foods contain bioactive substances, which have particular biological features and actions within the human body, they may have positive health impacts. Calcium-enriched milk, omega-3 fatty acid-enriched juices, probiotic-rich yoghurt, and phytosterol-enriched margarines are a few examples of processed functional foods. The potential health benefits of other conventional foods, like tea, blueberries, berries, and many more referred to as "superfoods," are also continuously being confirmed by new scientific research. The emergence of numerous chronic degenerative diseases, including cancer, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease, has recently prompted strategies to protect human health by implementing suitable eating patterns. Therefore, functional foods are recommended as a possible way to support the prevention strategy without resorting to therapy, as long as they fall within the parameters of hygiene and balanced nutrition, with the goal of improving population health.