What are functional foods?
Our expert Azmina Govindji discusses functional foods - the lowdown on those added extras
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Transcript
Presenter - Azmina, first of all I think we need to establish exactly what we mean by functional foods.
Azmina - Well, this is a term used by manufacturers to show you that they've added something extra to a food to give it a benefit greater than the inherent food itself. For example, they might have added Omega 3 to a product to give you the special fish oils. So it's something that is promoted for an added health benefit.
Presenter - There seems to be a lot of that going on at the moment too. We see a lot of brands with this enhanced addition, don't we?
Azmina - Yes, and I think we've got to be a bit discerning. You know, not that everything with an added function is going to be necessarily good for you. So think about what you're buying and why you're buying it. Sometimes, you can get things much cheaper in a natural food - you don't need to go for a functional food.
Presenter - Now, we are talking about functional foods, which are probably natural foods but have been enhanced for a very special purpose. So we see milk, for example, that has additional Omega 3.
Azmina - That's right. And folic acid, for example, has been added to bread.
Presenter - And soya-enriched foods - is that a functional food?
Azmina - Yes, it is.
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