nutraceutical

[ noo-truh-soo-ti-kuhl ]

noun

1. a bioactive compound occurring as a food component, additive, or product, including vitamins, dietary fiber, herbal extracts, carotenoids, and probiotics: nutraceuticals are said to promote health and well-being, allegedly helping in the prevention and treatment of disease.

nutraceutical

/ ˌnjuːtrəˈsjuːtɪkəl /

noun

1. See functional food
   another name for functional food

Word History and Origins

Origin of nutraceutical¹

Blend of nutrient ( def ) and pharmaceutical ( def ); coined by Stephen DeFelice, U.S. endocrinologist, in 1989