functional food

[fuhngk-shuh-nl food]

noun

1. a food that is fortified or enriched to provide beneficial properties beyond the nutritional value of the food in its unenhanced state: in some jurisdictions, as in Canada or Japan, functional foods must be labeled to specify the purported physiological benefits, including disease prevention or treatment.

functional food

noun

1. Also called: nutraceutical. a food containing additives which provide extra nutritional value

Word History and Origins

Origin of functional food¹

First recorded in 1985–90; translation of Japanese kinōsei-shokuhin, from kinōsei “functionality” (equivalent to kinō “function” + -sei, abstract noun suffix) + shokuhin “food”

Example Sentences

A recent study, which referred to carob as a “neglected legume of the Mediterranean Basin,” called it a functional food due to its fiber and mineral content.

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Because apples contain many health-promoting bioactive substances, the fruit is considered a "functional" food.

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An apple's natural dietary fibers are one of the bioactive components that lead to its being classified as a functional food.

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The industry, which has been expanding into functional food and health ingredients, typically offers strong growth, driven by consumers in emerging markets, with few cyclical swings.

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"Sweet potatoes are considered a functional food, as they contain many nutrients that human beings need for optimal health," says Jared T. Meacham, Ph.D.,

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