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Functional foods are generally those that contain naturally occurring or added compounds, providing health benefits beyond basic nutrition. While research suggests functional foods may support long-term health when consumed alongside a balanced diet, questions remain about the extent of their benefits.
Communities around the world have long used food, herbs, and spices to treat illness and promote well-being. Ancient civilizations in India, Greece, and Egypt used moringa to support skin health and mental fitness. Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine practices incorporated turmeric as an anti-inflammatory and tea as an antioxidant. Foods like ginger and peppermint have long been used to relieve nausea and facilitate digestion.
The modern concept of functional foods emerged in Japan. In 1991, the country introduced its Foods for Specified Health Uses (FOSHU) program, creating one of the first regulatory systems for foods with scientifically supported health claims. Since then, consumer interest in functional foods has steadily grown.
“The push for functional foods gets stronger every year,” says Dr. Marion Nestle, the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, at New York University. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global functional food and beverage industry is projected to grow from US$437.62 billion in 2026 to US$983.17 billion by 2034.
Government agencies, researchers, and international organizations generally define functional foods as those with health benefits beyond basic nutrition, but they differ on which foods belong in that category.
Some definitions of functional foods, including those used by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Royal Society of Chemistry, include naturally functional foods, such as berries rich in antioxidants, oats containing cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber, fatty fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, fermented foods with probiotics, and nuts rich in unsaturated fats and other beneficial nutrients.
Others, including the Institute of Food Technologists, research published in Frontiers in Nutrition and Nutrients, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, also apply the term to foods that have been fortified, enriched, or enhanced to provide a specific health benefit. Common examples include vitamin D milk, calcium-fortified orange juice, probiotic yogurt, and margarine containing plant sterols.
Academic, government, and private research institutes around the globe are currently conducting extensive research on functional foods’ health impacts. Some researchers have linked some functional foods to lower cholesterol, improved gut health, reduced inflammation, and better blood sugar control, suggesting they may hold promise for public health.
But scientists warn that functional foods are not a cure-all. No single food can cure or prevent diseases, and functional foods cannot replace medical treatments, according to the Mayo Clinic. Researchers emphasize that functional foods further health when they complement, not replace, a balanced, nutritious diet.
Researchers also warn that functional food marketing can create a health halo, leading consumers to perceive products as healthy based on a single health claim, rather than all product ingredients and processing.
There are also significant socioeconomic barriers to equitable access. Functional foods often cost three to five times more than conventional products, and research suggests that higher household income levels are often associated with more functional food purchases.
Regulatory approaches also vary widely around the world. The European Union requires manufacturers to submit scientific evidence before health claims can appear on food labels. In contrast, the United States has no formal legal definition of a functional food, instead regulating these products under existing food and labeling laws. As a result, consumers may encounter different products and health claims depending on where they live.
As research on functional foods continues to evolve, experts emphasize that realizing their public health potential will require stronger evidence and clearer standards. “Food quality data, grounded in comprehensive and standardized molecular analysis, must become a central metric for how we measure, manage, and build value across food and health systems,” according to Selena Ahmed, the Executive Director of The Periodic Table of Food Initiative and Dean of Food EDU at the American Heart Association, John de la Parra, Director of the Food Initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation, Justin Siegel, Faculty Director of the Innovation Institute for Food and Health at the University of California Davis, and Roy Steiner, Senior Vice President of the Food Initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation. “Without knowing what’s actually in our food, the tens of thousands of molecules, we cannot design food systems that sustain health.”
FAO highlights the need for better food safety frameworks as new functional products enter the market. Researchers call for larger clinical studies involving more diverse populations, along with greater multidisciplinary collaboration between nutrition science, medicine, and the food industry.
Consumers should “just be aware of what you’re actually putting into your body, because not all products that are labeled ‘functional’ are truly effective,” says Grace Derocha, a nutritionist who is also a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
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Photo courtesy of Ash Kanis, Unsplash
