Title:Functional Food with Some Health Benefits, So Called Superfood: A Review
Volume: 17
Issue: 2
Author(s): Ena Gupta and Pragya Mishra*
Affiliation:
- Food Processing and Management, DDU Kaushal Kendra, RGSC, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005,India
Keywords:
Dietary intake, functional food, health benefits, health claims, Super power, superfood.
Abstract: The possible beneficial properties of functional foods are due to their content in bioactive
ingredients, with specific biological properties. A number of processed functional foods are available
in the market - probiotic yogurt, calcium and ω-3 fatty acids enriched orange juice and milk. Simultaneously,
new research studies confer potential health benefits of various conventional foods (salmon,
berries, green tea, vegetables, fruits, nuts, cereals and breads, etc.) termed as “superfood” which
is a marketing term and there is no established medical definition. Following suitable dietary patterns,
superfood reduces the risk of degenerative diseases by promoting physical and emotional
health. Scientific evidences suggest that superfoods are a dense source of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins
and other nutrients. There is insufficient research on the exact explanation of the term ‘superfood’and
its health claims by different companies without any legislation. This buzz word has created
confusion among consumers, that how much and what quantity should make a food superfood, as
no single food may be as nutritious to be stated as a superfood. This article introduces further investigation
on superfood which was categorized on the basis of their major constituents and potential
health benefits. Further, there is a need for more reviews, researches, clinical trials and human case
studies to investigate or test superfood.
