The term “functional foods” is in constant use these days. Dozens of nutritional supplements are promoted as functional foods, and every week the media trumpets at least one new scientific discovery of the functional benefits of this or that food or nutrient. But what exactly are functional foods? And which ones—if any—actually live up to the hype?
There is no formal definition of the term. Wikipedia provides as good a definition as any, describing a functional food as “any fresh or processed food claimed to have a health-promoting or disease-preventing property beyond the basic nutritional function of supplying nutrients.”
In more practical terms, a particular food is generally considered to be functional when it is fortified with a specific ingredient known to have special health-promoting or disease-preventing properties. Recent advances and trends in functional foods are exciting because they give consumers more opportunities to enjoy the health benefits of particular nutrients. Not every functional food is worth spending money on, of course, but many are. Four specific nutrients that are especially beneficial as functional food ingredients are omega-3 fatty acids, plant sterols, probiotics, and whey protein. By incorporating functional foods containing these ingredients into your diet you can enhance your health in a number of ways.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential polyunsaturated fats that are very difficult to obtain in adequate amounts in the diet. The omega-3 fats contained in almonds, fish oil, and a few other foods create more flexible cell membranes that transmit brain signals more effectively. Research has shown that omega-3 fats reduce the risk of depression, bipolar disorder, stroke, and Parkinson’s disease.
In addition, omega-3 fatty acids increase the body’s production of anti-inflammatory compounds known as prostaglandins. This is important because systemic inflammation underlies many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases. Studies have shown that regular fish oil supplementation reduces the blood concentration of C-reactive protein, a well-known biomarker of inflammation.
Foods that are commonly fortified with omega-3 essential fatty acids include chicken eggs, butter alternatives, and nutrition bars. Read labels carefully so you know what you’re eating.
Plant Sterols
Also known as phytosterols, plant sterols are constituents of the cell walls of plants. They were discovered back in 1922, and scientists have known since the 1950s that plant sterols can reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in animals and humans. Because they are chemically similar to cholesterol molecules, plant sterols are able to block the absorption of cholesterol from the intestines, thereby lowering the amount of bad cholesterol in our blood.
Studies have shown that consuming foods that are fortified with plant sterols reduces cholesterol in persons with high cholesterol by 10 percent. This effect is noteworthy because, as you probably know, there is a strong correlation between high LDL cholesterol levels and heart disease. There are now many different types of foods that contain added plant sterols, including butter substitutes, breads, yogurts and even orange juice. Read labels carefully so you know what you’re eating.
Probiotics
Probiotics are digestive bacteria of natural human origin that are consumed in foods or nutritional supplements. Consuming probiotics in functional foods increases the population of “friendly bacteria” in the digestive tract and enhances the functions they serve.
The oldest and best-known probiotic food is yogurt, whose sour taste comes from live bacteria cultures, mainly acidophilus. Consuming yogurt or other sources of probiotics is known to attenuate various gastrointestinal issues such as flatulence, lactose intolerance, diarrhea related to the use of antibiotics, stress-related GI upset, and irritable bowel syndrome. This is not to say that probiotics will cure every case of such disorders, but if you have a “sensitive stomach” then they are certainly worth a try.
Recently, nutrition researchers have begun to find evidence of farther-reaching benefits associated with the consumption of probiotics. These benefits include prevention of colon cancer, cholesterol and blood pressure lowering, prevention of infections (friendly bacteria kill unfriendly bacteria), and reduced systemic inflammation.
Not all yogurts contain probiotics (usually called “active yogurt cultures”) and not all yogurts containing probiotics have them in useful amounts. Read labels carefully so you know what you’re eating.
Whey Protein
Whey is the liquid component of milk that is separated from the solid curd component in the cheese-making process. Whey protein is actually not a single protein but a collection of proteins and protein fractions (or peptides) found naturally in the whey component of milk. Whey protein promotes weight loss in three key ways. First, protein in general reduces hunger and eating more than carbohydrates and fats, and whey protein does so even better than other proteins. In addition, whey protein reduces fat storage compared to carbs, fats, and other proteins. And finally, whey protein enhances the fat-burning effects of exercise.
In a recent French study, laboratory animals were fed a normal diet, a high-protein diet, or a whey-enriched high-protein diet for 42 days. At the end of the study period, the animals fed the whey diet weighed 30 percent less than those fed the normal diet and 17 percent less than those fed the regular high-protein diet, yet the whey-fed animals had the highest levels of lean body mass of the three groups. The researchers conducting the study attributed these results to reduced fat storage caused by the high concentrations of branched-chain amino acids in the whey product used.
Exciting new research suggests that whey protein supplementation may lower blood pressure, one of the leading risk factors for cardiovascular disease. In a study of 30 non-medicated, non-smoking, borderline hypertensive men and women, hydrolyzed whey protein isolate reduced systolic blood pressure 11mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure 7mmHg compared to a control.
Whey protein has recently shown promise as a nutritional means to help diabetics control their blood sugar. In a recent Swedish study, adding whey protein to a high-glycemic breakfast and lunch increased insulin release by 31 percent and 57 percent respectively in type 2 diabetics compared to when they were fed the same meals without whey.
The best sources of whey protein are Permalean protein shakes and bars.
