Functional food: A brief overview

Functional food or nutraceuticals is an emerging trend in food and nutrition research. Though the concept is not very new, but application of nutraceuticals to cure human diseases became popular topic of research in recent times. Functional foods contain bioactive ingredients which are beneficial for physiological benefit of human beings and can combat with chronic diseases. Majority of the synthetic drugs have side effects which can adversely affect human health. Functional foods can provide natural remedy to most of the human diseases as well as can prevent them by boosting the immune system of the body. Nutraceuticals have proved their efficacy against cancer, tumours, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, premature aging, blood detoxification, etc. Gradually pharmaceuticals are shifting towards nutraceuticals to seek a natural remedy to every health related problems. Different types of fruits, vegetables, fish oils, food supplements, and phytochemicals can act as functional food. Apart from biomedical science, the food industries now-a-days are turning towards functional food additives to improve the flavour, texture, nutritional value of the food stuffs. Through this article an attempt has been made to review the current scenario of functional food.