Nutraceuticals - Types and health benefits

The name nutraceuticals was coined in 1989 by Stephen DeFelice, founder and chairman of the Foundation for Innovation in Medicine, which is an American organization located in Cranford, New Jersey.

Nutraceutical is a substance, which has physiological benefit or provides protection against chronic disease.

The term is not defined the same in different countries, but is usually defined as a product isolated from foods that is generally sold in medicinal forms not usually associated with food. In the US, the term “nutraceutical” products are regulated as drugs, food ingredients and dietary supplements.

Types of nutraceuticals

These can be classified on the basis of their natural sources, pharmacological conditions, as well as chemical constitution. Most often there are four categories of nutraceuticals

• Dietary supplements

Dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products and is often concentrated in liquid, capsule, powder, or pill form. Although dietary supplements are regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as foods, their regulation differs from that which is involved in drugs and other food products.

• Functional food

Functional food includes whole foods and fortified, as well as enriched or enhanced dietary components that may reduce the risk of chronic disease and provide a health benefit beyond the traditional nutrients it contains.Functional food looks like food and is available as pasta, cereal, whole grains, yogurt, snacks, and more.

Functional foods can be:

Traditional Functional Food: These are nutrient-rich natural foods that deliver health benefits other than basic nutrition, such as omega-3 fatty acids in salmon and lycopene in tomatoes. 

Non-Traditional Functional Food: These are artificial foods prepared by adding bioactive components to help enhance health and well-being. Examples include fortified nutraceuticals such as juice with added calcium, cereal fortified with iron, flour with added folic acid.

• Medicinal food

Medical food is formulated to be consumed or administered internally. under the supervision of a qualified physician. Its intended use is specific dietary management of a disease or condition for which distinctive nutritional requirements are established by the medical evaluation and on the basis of recognized scientific principles.

• Farmaceuticals

These are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals. The term is a combination of the words “farm” and “pharmaceuticals.” Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops, and possibly even animals, as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost-effective than conventional methods, with higher revenue for agricultural producers.

Benefits of nutraceuticals

A healthy diet contributes to our health by providing the nutrients to body, that it needs to repair itself, grow, and function well. When our diet does not supply enough of these essential nutrients and vitamins, nutraceuticals can act as a supplement to to maintain the balance of these nutrients in our body.

The pathways of metabolism by which our body generates energy, depend on the nutrients the process breaks down. If all the nutrients are present in the sufficient amount, our body, including all the organs and systems, function well. This means that our body can heal or repair properly and quickly.

But if there are not enough nutrients present, then our body takes longer to repair or might deal with harmful complications. When this happens, nutraceuticals can provide extra nutrients needed for optimum metabolic reaction and for our body to function properly.

Generally these may be used to 

• Improve health 

• Prevent chronic diseases 

• Postpone the aging process

• Increase life expectancy

• Support the functions and integrity of the body

• Increase energy

• Improve sleep 

• Regulate bodily functions

• Enhance skincare

• Prevent life-threatening diseases such as diabetes, renal and gastrointestinal disorders, as well as different infections.