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Food as medicine: Nutraceuticals and functional foods

Milton George

Nutraceutical products can be considered non-specific biological therapies used to promote general well-being, control symptoms, and prevent malignant processes. Nutraceuticals are products derived from food sources that provide both nutrition and medicinal benefits. Under the umbrella of “dietary supplements,” nutraceuticals are any whole food not an isolated nutrient or vitamin that is concentrated and repackaged in a non-food format like a capsule. A good example might be garlic capsules. Nutraceutical products can be classified on the basis of their natural sources, pharmacological conditions, as well as chemical constitution of the products. Most often, nutraceuticals are grouped into four categories that include dietary supplements, functional food, medicinal food, and farmaceuticals. Essentially, a nutraceutical is a substance that has a physiological benefit or provides protection from chronic disease. Unfortunately, the definition of nutraceuticals varies from country to country depending on how they are categorized and regulated.