What Are Functional Foods and How Do We Incorporate These in Our Diets?

What Are Functional Foods and How Do We Incorporate These in Our Diets?

If you’re reading this then you have probably heard the phrase ‘functional foods’ often in conversations about balanced diets and healthy eating. What does it really mean?

Functional foods can be defined as foods which are fortified with nutrients that may prove difficult to incorporate into a diet by themselves (such as Omega 3 or Vitamin D). 

Functional foods help to reduce the risk of disease, and potentially can have a positive impact on overall health. Examples of functional foods include fatty fish, legumes, seeds, nuts, and fruits such as kiwis, berries and oranges and bananas. Some vegetables, such as courgettes, spinach, broccoli, and kale, are also classified as functional foods. 

Overall, functional foods are rich in important nutrients such as minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and healthy sources of fat.

Did you know?

Fighter Shots uses functional ingredients such as turmeric, Manuka honey and ginger! Adding a daily Fighter Shot to your diet is a great way to promote a balanced lifestyle. Fighter Shots are your low-fuss solution to protecting your immune system and boosting your body to its peak.

Why Are Functional Foods So Popular, How Much Should You Eat?

The Global Functional Foods market is currently thriving and set to reach $118bn by 2026 (Yahoo Finance). Due to COVID, many consumers are more health conscious than ever.  The consumption of functional foods provides enhanced health benefits that can champion foods with basic nutritional value, with the potential to aid immune health and reduce the risk of illness.

How much of this should you be adding to your diet? As of now, there is no official recommendation. However, it’s recommended to eat functional foods that are rich in vitamins and nutrients as often as possible. So how can these be added to meals?

How Can You Add Functional Foods To Your Diet?

In a Salad: many functional foods can be added to salads! Try making a fruit salad using berries, peaches, oranges, and bananas, or maybe a leafy green salad with broccoli, spinach, and kale. Couscous is also a functional food, why not try a couscous salad with roasted vegetables? 

In a Soup: Functional foods such as lentils and chickpeas make a great base for a soup. 

As Seasoning: Turmeric is a great seasoning, famed for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities. It tastes great when added to scrambled eggs, curries, soups, and roasted vegetables. 

Through Modified Functional Foods: Modified functional foods are fortified with additional beneficial ingredients. These might include minerals, fibre, vitamins, or probiotics, with the aim of increasing the food’s nutritional value. Modified functional foods include cereals, juices, dairy products and milk alternatives, and grains. Just make sure you check out the food label before purchasing to make sure it’s a modified food!

In a Fighter Shot: Fighter Shots prides itself on all-natural ingredients, and we are especially passionate about the health benefits of functional foods. Some of our ingredients, such as ginger and turmeric, are anti-inflammatories and antioxidants as well as functional foods. Why not try in one convenient shot? 

Functional foods can be added to a diet to promote a healthy lifestyle. They should be incorporated along with a balanced diet and plenty of water. 

Do you have any favourite recipes that include functional foods? Maybe you didn’t realise some of your favourite foods are rich in these ingredients or you want to share what you’ve learned about these amazing ingredients. Let us know on our blog or on our Instagram or Facebook!