What is a typical example of a functional food?

Q: What are functional foods?

A: The term Functional Foods is used to describe foods with added ingredients proved of being capable to produce certain health benefits...

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Out of various vegetables, fruits, nuts, and whole grains, many are very good for you. But some are better than others and some are so good that not only feed you but can heal and prevent diseases.

When a food is researched well enough and recognized as providing health benefits beyond basic nutrition (being healing and protective) - it is officially put on list of functional foods.

Here's a sample list of official functional foods:

apples
beef
cheese
berries
broccoli
carrots
chocolate
cinnamon
citrus
cocoa
collards
corn
cranberries
cruciferous vegetables (like cabbage and lettuce)
eggs (especially yolk)
flax seeds
garlic
grapes
honey
leeks
fish oils - e.g., sardines for your snack
lamb - e.g., cold cuts
oat
onions
peanuts
pears
psyllium husk - add it to your snack shakes
red grapes
rolled oats - e.g., as oat bars
rye - e.g., as whole rye bread or crackers
salmon
scallions
soy - e.g., soy nuts for your snack
spinach
strawberries
tea
tomatoes
tuna
walnuts
wheat
wheat bran
whole grains
wine
yogurt

Tanya Zilberter, PhD