What Are Functional Foods?
Functional foods can be best described as foods and beverages that provide health benefits that exceed basic nutrition and energy requirements for sustaining life. They contain bioactive compounds that promote well-being, support specific body functions, and minimize disease risk. Functional foods may come directly from nature or in foods modified with added fiber, minerals, probiotics, vitamins, or omega-3 fatty acids.

Benefits of Functional Foods
The main benefits of eating functional foods lie in their capacity to improve physical and mental wellness, with the precise advantages depending on the specific food or beverage. Functional foods for disease prevention and wellness are revered for helping stave off various chronic disorders and nutritional deficiencies and for supporting healthy development and growth.

Types Of Functional Foods
Four categories of functional foods currently exist: conventional, fortified, medical, and foods for specific dietary applications.

Conventional Functional Foods
If you can’t decide what to eat at your next meal, these dietary multitaskers will feed your body while “feeding” your gut and brain with wellness-enhancing nutrients:

• Beverages: Black tea, coffee, and green tea provide protective antioxidants and energizing caffeine, which boost cognitive functioning. Black tea supports heart health and has potential anti-cancer aspects. Coffee may help minimize the risk of some cancers, depression, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, and type 2 diabetes. Green Tea aids metabolism, weight management, type 2 diabetes, and skin inflammation.
• Fermented Foods: Kefir, kimchi, kombucha, miso, sauerkraut, tempeh, and yogurt provide healthy probiotics, improving microbial balance and supporting gut health.
• Fruits & Vegetables: These antioxidant powerhouses help shield against free radical damage and disease. Apples, bananas, berries, kiwis, oranges, pears, peaches, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, and kale), spinach, and zucchini will treat your body and mind right!
• Herbs & Spices: Cinnamon, Cayenne Pepper, Ginger, Rosemary, and Turmeric are popular health-enhancing functional “foods.” Cinnamon has antioxidant, protective, and anti-inflammatory qualities, helps lower blood sugar, and improves insulin sensitivity. Its antimicrobial benefits make it ideal in skin clearing products. Rosemary is found to help with allergies and congestion. In skin and hair health products, it provides aromatherapeutic circulation-boosting, cleansing, energizing, purifying, hair thickening, and texture-enhancing properties.
• Legumes: Fiber and nutrient-rich beans (black or navy), chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), lentils, and soybeans promote optimal weight and help reduce the chances of developing diabetes, certain cancers, cholesterol issues, and heart disease. Lentil Extract in our moisturizing eye cream helps protect against free radical damage, softens, and smooths, revealing a tighter-looking eye contour.
• Nuts: Get your fill of nourishing healthy fats and protein from Almonds, Brazil Nuts, Cashews, Macadamia Nuts, and Pistachios—in moderation, of course! Enjoy more of their benefits from our Dry Oil Body Moisturizer enriched with antioxidant-rich Macadamia Nut Oil.
• Seafood: Anchovies, Cod, Mackerel, Sardines, and Salmon are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids - the “catch of the day” your body needs to help avoid and manage heart disease.
• Seeds: Plant the seed of change within via superfoods like Chia, Flax, Hemp, and Pumpkin Seeds, which supply healthy fats and proteins in support of optimal cardiovascular, hormonal, and immune functioning. Pumpkin Extract in our Hair Energize thinning hair solutions delivers moisturizing and DHT-inhibiting properties that naturally support scalp health and hair loss.
• Whole Grains: Oats provide Beta Glucan, a fiber proven to boost immunity, support heart health, and reduce inflammation. They are also beneficial topically, providing gentle cleansing in our Sulfate free natural skin cleanser formulas and moisturizing in our Collagen Hand Cream. Barley, brown rice, buckwheat, and couscous are additional functional foods.
• Plant Sterols also help lower unhealthy cholesterol levels and heart disease risk. Consume the following or use them topically for skin-enhancing benefits. Cacao Extract is in our Chocolate Indulgence Line, Squalane from Olives appears throughout the Pevonia range, and Thyme takes effect in the ProCorrective Clear Control products for acne prone skin.

Fortified Functional Foods
Fortified functional foods often include adaptogens, which help our bodies cope with factors like fatigue and illness. Here are the most popular adaptogens with additional skincare benefits that may surprise you:

(Note: As human studies have had mixed results, consult a healthcare professional or functional nutrition counselor before making any dietary changes.)

• Mushrooms like Reishi, Lions Mane, Chaga, Turkey Tail, and Cordyceps are seemingly in everything. The potential benefits of functional mushrooms include better energy, immunity, gastrointestinal, and cognitive functioning. They also offer stress and anxiety reduction, blood sugar and infection control, anti-cancer, and libido-enhancing benefits.
• Ashwagandha is rich in amino acids and phytochemicals and offers benefits such as reducing anxiety, stress, and blood pressure. It may also help with sleep. Topically, it provides soothing damage repair and blue light protection in broader protection sunscreen formulas.
• Ginseng (Asian, American, Siberian) is rich in powerful flavonoids that offer protection against free radical damage. Panax Ginseng from Asia also provides rejuvenating, pro-aging, stimulating, calming, and reparative benefits topically in our BodyRenew™ Jasmine & Lavender Body Moisturizer.
• Licorice, a legume with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant constituents, aids the body in recovering from colds and stress-related responses while boosting gut and cognitive health and immunity. It can also positively affect hormone regulation and help decrease body fat. Licorice in skincare soothes irritation, reduces redness, and helps even skin tone.

No mention of adaptogens is complete without discussing Turmeric’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits for alleviating pain within and without. Additional adaptogens include Maca, Rhodiola Rosea, Schisandra, and Waterhyssop. Manufacturers of fortified functional foods in health and disease prevention incorporate combinations of the above in fortified dairy products, juices, milk alternatives, grains, cereals, and eggs.

How to incorporate functional foods into your routine:

• Identify your needs: Determine which health aspects you want to target
• Choose wisely: Look for foods and beverages that contain functional ingredients.
• Read labels: Pay attention to product labels and claims to ensure they align with your goals and preferences.
• Start small: Introduce one functional food or beverage at a time to see how your body responds.
• Be consistent: Incorporate functional foods and beverages into your daily routine for long-term benefits.
• Get help: A Functional Nutrition Counselor can guide you to functional foods that target your specific health concerns with intentional, systematic, and lasting therapeutic dietary changes for better wellness.

Enjoy exploring the world of functional foods and beverages!