Functional Foods
The main purpose of a healthy diet is to provide the human body with necessary nutritional values.
Nowadays, the advances in science provide basic concepts such as how to avoid nutritional deficiency and to teach the concept of proper nutrition.
Consumers in general are more aware of the relationship between an optimal nutritional diet and a healthy lifestyle, consequently interesting them in the consumption of foods that provide health benefits.
Functional foods are those foods that in natural or processed form, contain ingredients that have beneficial health effects that go beyond nutrition.
The functionalities include:
- Antioxidants help to decrease the risk of heart disease, neurological diseases and cancer.
- Digestion: Fiber plays extremely important physiological functions such as stimulating intestinal peristalsis.
- Beauty: Collagen is essential for the elasticity and flexibility of the organs and for the integrity of the structures.
- Immune System: Vitamins :
A: It is necessary for growth and development of bones. Essential for cell development and helps the immune system.
B (1,2,3,6,12): Essential in transforming food into energy. It helps maintain good eye health and improves the circulatory system. It keeps the immune system and is involved in the formation of red blood cells.
C: Improves vision and helps with constipation for its laxative properties.
D: Involved in cell growth and maturation.
E: Protection against anemia.
K: Important for Blood Coagulation.
The inclusion of one or more functional ingredients in processed foods, can represent a challenge in the matter of taste, giving the flavors and flavor systems (like sensory modulators) a definitive role in the final performance and consumer preference who expects satisfaction, without compromising good flavors.
