Superfoods: Recent Data on their Role in the Prevention of Diseases

Abstract

By the term functional food we mean food, processed or not, which on the basis of scientific studies can contribute to the achievement of specific operational objectives within the human body and play an important role in the direction of prevention degenerative diseases and health promotion. The possible beneficial properties of functional foods are due to their content in bioactive ingredients, with specific biological properties and effects within the human body. Some examples of processed functional foods are calcium - enriched milk, enriched juices with ω-3 fatty acids, yoghurt with probiotic organisms and phytosterol-enriched margarines. At the same time, constantly new scientific findings confirm the potential beneficial properties of different conventional food, such as tea, blueberries, pomegranate,berries, hippophaes and many others, which are known by the term "superfoods". Recently, the appearance of a multitude of chronic degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis and cancer, has led to ways of defending human health through the adoption of appropriate dietary patterns. Hence, functional foods, provided that they fit inside hygiene and balanced nutrition, are suggested as a potential solution tore inforcing the prevention strategy, avoiding the need for therapy, with the aim of promoting the health of the population. This is the reason why there is an ever-increasing trend particularly in Europe and USA. Also, improved accessibility knowledge and information from consumers, promotes an increased search for information about their beneficial properties.