Whats the scoop on functional foods?
The tenet “Let food by thy medicine and medicine be thy food,” quoted by Hippocrates nearly 2,500 years ago, is receiving renewed interest. In particular, there has been an explosion of consumer interest in the health enhancing role of specific foods, so-called functional foods. Clearly, all foods are functional, as they provide taste, aroma and nutritive value. Within the last decade, however, the term functional as it applies to food has adopted a different connotation – that of providing an additional physiological benefit beyond that of meeting basic nutritional needs. Some examples of ‘pecial Function’ foods … Soy Not only is soy a high quality protein, it is now thought to play preventive and therapeutic roles in cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis and the alleviation of menopausal symptoms. Oats Oat products are a widely studied source of a cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber. Tomatoes Tomatoes have received significant attention because of interest in an ingredient ca
