Skip to content
Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

The Role of Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals in Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Manisha Sharma, Vidhya C. S., Komal Ojha, Yashwanth B. S., Barinderjit Singh, Soni Gupta, Shivam Kumar Pandey

European Journal of Nutrition & Food Safety · pp. 61–83 · Published 19 Feb 2024

10.9734/ejnfs/2024/v16i21388

Abstract

Functional foods containing bioactive compounds may help prevent chronic conditions and promote wellness beyond basic nutrition. Likewise, dietary nutraceutical supplements show promise for reducing disease risk. This review synthesizes current evidence regarding effects of key functional foods and nutraceuticals on outcomes related to cardiovascular disease, cancer, inflammation, immunity, microbiome health, and integrative markers of metabolic health. We specifically summarize findings from clinical trials and experimental studies on foods (e.g. fatty fish, soy, cocoa, nuts, berries, yogurt) and nutritional supplements (e.g. probiotics, vitamins, omega fatty acids, phytochemicals). Collectively, data supports that achieving optimal intake of certain bioactive functional food components may help reduce morbidity and mortality from highly prevalent chronic illnesses. However, further research should continue investigating mechanisms of action, safe effective dosages, nutrigenomic responses, and strategies to improve consumer selection and adherence. Ultimately nutrition-based lifestyle approaches emphasizing functional foods and nutraceuticals aligned with dietary guidance have potential to significantly impact public health by filling nutritional gaps, regulating disease pathways, and promoting protective responses.

Functional foods nutraceuticals dietary supplements bioactive nutrients disease prevention chronic disease cardiovascular inflammation immunity

References (102)

  1. 1 Dietary Modulation of the Human Colonic Microbiota: Introducing the Concept of Prebiotics [DOI]
  2. 2 Food-Related Illness and Death in the United States [DOI]
  3. 3 A Clinical Trial of the Effects of Dietary Patterns on Blood Pressure [DOI]
  4. 4 Free radicals, antioxidants and functional foods: Impact on human health [DOI]
  5. 5 Plant Polyphenols as Dietary Antioxidants in Human Health and Disease [DOI]
  6. 6 The importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids [DOI]
  7. 7 Fiber and Prebiotics: Mechanisms and Health Benefits [DOI]
  8. 8 Potential Synergy of Phytochemicals in Cancer Prevention: Mechanism of Action [DOI]
  9. 9 Microorganisms with Claimed Probiotic Properties: An Overview of Recent Literature [DOI]
  10. 10 Identification of the 100 richest dietary sources of polyphenols: an application of the Phenol-Explorer database [DOI]
  11. 11 Functional Foods: Benefits, Concerns and Challenges—A Position Paper from the American Council on Science and Health [DOI]
  12. 12 Anti-inflammatory activity of natural dietary flavonoids [DOI]
  13. 13 Effects of Dietary Nitrate on Blood Pressure in Healthy Volunteers [DOI]
  14. 14 The Role of Functional Foods, Nutraceuticals, and Food Supplements in Intestinal Health [DOI]
  15. 15 Probiotics—From Metchnikoff to bioactives [DOI]
  16. 16 Protective role of probiotics and prebiotics in colon cancer [DOI]
  17. 17 Nutrients and phytochemicals: from bioavailability to bioefficacy beyond antioxidants [DOI]
  18. 18 Anthocyanins and Human Health: An In Vitro Investigative Approach [DOI]
  19. 19 Fifteen-Year Effects of Helicobacter pylori, Garlic, and Vitamin Treatments on Gastric Cancer Incidence and Mortality [DOI]
  20. 20 Probiotics and immune health [DOI]
  21. 21 The Health Effects of Cultured Milk Products with Viable and Non-viable Bacteria [DOI]
  22. 22 A new definition of functional food by FFC: what makes a new definition unique? [DOI]
  23. 23 Nutraceuticals: Poised for a healthy slice of the healthcare market? [DOI]
  24. 24 The Effect of Breakfast Type on Total Daily Energy Intake and Body Mass Index: Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) [DOI]
  25. 25 Effectiveness of probiotics in irritable bowel syndrome: Updated systematic review with meta-analysis [DOI]
  26. 26 Plant Metabolites and Nutritional Quality of Vegetables [DOI]
  27. 27 Plasma Phospholipid Fatty Acids and Prostate Cancer Risk in the SELECT Trial [DOI]
  28. 28 Designer eggs: from improvement of egg composition to functional food [DOI]
  29. 29 Functional foods: An overview [DOI]
  30. 30 Cancer prevention by tea: Evidence from laboratory studies [DOI]
  31. 31 The Changing Face of Functional Foods [DOI]
  32. 32 Polyphenols and inflammation: basic interactions [DOI]
  33. 33 Acute dark chocolate and cocoa ingestion and endothelial function: a randomized controlled crossover trial [DOI]
  34. 34 Functional Foods: A Survey of Health Claims, Pros and Cons, and Current Legislation [DOI]
  35. 35 A Meta-Analysis of Red Yeast Rice: An Effective and Relatively Safe Alternative Approach for Dyslipidemia [DOI]
  36. 36 Dietary Protein Intake and Blood Pressure: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials [DOI]
  37. 37 Health Claims in the United States: An Aid to the Public or a Source of Confusion?3 [DOI]
  38. 38 Consequences of Essential Fatty Acids [DOI]
  39. 39 Health foods and foods with health claims in Japan [DOI]
  40. 40 Resistant starch prevents colonic DNA damage induced by high dietary cooked red meat or casein in rats [DOI]
  41. 41 Time- and dose-dependent effect of psyllium on serum lipids in mild-to-moderate hypercholesterolemia: a meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials [DOI]
  42. 42 Eicosapentaenoic acid stimulates AMP-activated protein kinase and increases visfatin secretion in cultured murine adipocytes [DOI]
  43. 43 Improvement of leukocyte functions in prematurely aging mice after five weeks of diet supplementation with polyphenol-rich cereals [DOI]
  44. 44 A study of nutrition and health claims – a snapshot of what’s on the Irish market [DOI]
  45. 45 Effects of plant sterol- or stanol-enriched margarine on fasting plasma oxyphytosterol concentrations in healthy subjects [DOI]
  46. 46 The Impact of Oral L-Arginine Supplementation on Acute Smoking-Induced Endothelial Injury and Arterial Performance [DOI]
  47. 47 Foods and food components in the Mediterranean diet: supporting overall effects [DOI]
  48. 48 Effect of dark chocolate on arterial function in healthy individuals: Cocoa instead of ambrosia? [DOI]
  49. 49 Regulation of "Nutraceuticals" [DOI]
  50. 50 Nutraceuticals and functional foods regulations in the United States and around the world [DOI]
  51. 51 Home visits: a strategy to improve newborn survival - Authors' reply [DOI]
  52. 52 Cancer-related inflammation [DOI]
  53. 53 Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 [DOI]
  54. 54 Gut microbiota functions: metabolism of nutrients and other food components [DOI]
  55. 55 Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks in 188 countries, 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 [DOI]
  56. 56 Fruit and vegetable intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer and all-cause mortality—a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies [DOI]
  57. 57 Effect of longer term modest salt reduction on blood pressure: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials [DOI]
  58. 58 Scientific Concepts of Functional Foods in Europe Consensus Document [DOI]
  59. 59 Nutraceutical-definition and introduction [DOI]
  60. 60 Dietary Intake Among US Adults, 1999-2012 [DOI]
  61. 61 Diet, microbiota, and microbial metabolites in colon cancer risk in rural Africans and African Americans [DOI]
  62. 62 Fruit, vegetable, and legume intake, and cardiovascular disease and deaths in 18 countries (PURE): a prospective cohort study [DOI]
  63. 63 Fruits, vegetables, and health: A comprehensive narrative, umbrella review of the science and recommendations for enhanced public policy to improve intake [DOI]
  64. 64 Folic Acid Food Fortification—Its History, Effect, Concerns, and Future Directions [DOI]
  65. 65 Effects of chocolate, cocoa, and flavan-3-ols on cardiovascular health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials [DOI]
  66. 66 Anticancer effects of the microbiome and its products [DOI]
  67. 67 A Critical Approach to Evaluating Clinical Efficacy, Adverse Events and Drug Interactions of Herbal Remedies [DOI]
  68. 68 Journal of the American college of nutrition [DOI]
  69. 69 Continuous Dose-Response Relationship of the LDL-Cholesterol–Lowering Effect of Phytosterol Intake [DOI]
  70. 70 Dietary Supplements: Regulatory Challenges and Research Resources [DOI]
  71. 71 LDL-cholesterol-lowering effect of plant sterols and stanols across different dose ranges: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled studies [DOI]
  72. 72 Can We Say What Diet Is Best for Health? [DOI]
  73. 73 Public Trust in Physicians — U.S. Medicine in International Perspective [DOI]
  74. 74 Bioactive peptides and lactic fermentations [DOI]
  75. 75 A Mixture of trans-Galactooligosaccharides Reduces Markers of Metabolic Syndrome and Modulates the Fecal Microbiota and Immune Function of Overweight Adults [DOI]
  76. 76 A Critical Review on Polyphenols and Health Benefits of Black Soybeans [DOI]
  77. 77 Polyphenol-Rich Dry Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and Their Health Benefits [DOI]
  78. 78 Effects of tree nuts on blood lipids, apolipoproteins, and blood pressure: systematic review, meta-analysis, and dose-response of 61 controlled intervention trials [DOI]
  79. 79 Metabolic syndrome and dietary patterns: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies [DOI]
  80. 80 Nutritional Psychiatry: Where to Next? [DOI]
  81. 81 Fortification and Health: Challenges and Opportunities [DOI]
  82. 82 Healthy Plant-Based Diets Are Associated with Lower Risk of All-Cause Mortality in US Adults [DOI]
  83. 83 An overview of herb and dietary supplement efficacy, safety and government regulations in the United States with suggested improvements. Part 1 of 5 series [DOI]
  84. 84 Effect of probiotic fermented milk on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials [DOI]
  85. 85 Effects of Commercial Apple Varieties on Human Gut Microbiota Composition and Metabolic Output Using an In Vitro Colonic Model [DOI]
  86. 86 Options for basing Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) on chronic disease endpoints: report from a joint US-/Canadian-sponsored working group [DOI]
  87. 87 Dietary Approaches to Prevent and Treat Hypertension: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association [DOI]
  88. 88 Optimal nutrition and the ever-changing dietary landscape: a conference report [DOI]
  89. 89 The Use of Multivitamin/Multimineral Supplements: A Modified Delphi Consensus Panel Report [DOI]
  90. 90 Legislation relating to nutraceuticals in the European Union with a particular focus on botanical-sourced products [DOI]
  91. 91 Developments in nutraceuticals
  92. 92 Consumer attitudes and understanding of low-sodium claims on food: an analysis of healthy and hypertensive individuals [DOI]
  93. 93 Autologous Conditioned Serum Applications in the Treatment of Musculoskeletal Diseases: a Narrative Review [DOI]
  94. 94 Studies on Functional Foods in Japan: State of the Art [DOI]
  95. 95 A Mediterranean lifestyle is associated with favourable cardiometabolic markers in people with non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease [DOI]
  96. 96 Probiotics for preventing acute upper respiratory tract infections [DOI]
  97. 97 Functional Foods in Health and Disease [DOI]
  98. 98 Opportunities in Nutrition and Food Sciences [DOI]
  99. 99 Corrigendum to: Effect of raspberry extract on wound healing [DOI]
  100. 100 Paclitaxel-Eluting Devices for Femoropopliteal Disease [DOI]
  101. 101 Lycopene in Tomatoes: Chemical and Physical Properties Affected by Food Processing [DOI]
  102. 102 Omega-3 fatty acids for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease [DOI]

Cited by 83

Kombucha fermentation: Functional properties, safety considerations, substrate alternatives, and future perspectives

Zhi Wei Yong, Celine Celine, Rola Sherif Mohamed Tokal Ahmed · Journal of Food Composition and Analysis · 2025

Functional Foods Enriched With Bioactive Compounds: Therapeutic Potential and Technological Innovations

Zargull Arshad, Shafa Shahid, Ammarah Hasnain · Food Science & Nutrition · 2025

The use of functional foods and its association to chronic and multimorbid conditions: a cross-sectional study among Bangladeshi people

Sanaullah Mazumdar, Md. Moshiuzzaman Adnan, Tanjum Kabir Khuku · Scientific Reports · 2025

Kombucha Tea: A Functional Beverage and All its Aspects

Begum Onsun, Kadriye Toprak, Nevin Sanlier · Current Nutrition Reports · 2025

Recent Nutraceutical Interventions for Hypertension: A Comprehensive Review of Randomized Clinical Evidence

Liu Yanru, Vaidehi Ulaganathan, Baskaran Gunasekaran · Current Nutrition Reports · 2025

Probiotics and functional foods in metabolic disease: emerging solutions for obesity and diabetes

Sammra Maqsood, Muhammad Asif, Tayyaba Alvi · Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders · 2025

A Review on Functional Foods Regulate the Gut Microbiota and Mast Cell Function in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Arumugam Vignesh, Thomas Cheeran Amal, Raya Soltane · Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins · 2025

Coffee as a functional matrix for iron fortification: integrative insights into nutrient delivery and sensory balance

Yashwanth B S, Vijay Laxmi Biswal, M. D. Sagarika · European Food Research and Technology · 2026

Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals: A Nutrigenomic Perspective

Puja Nelluri, Shagolshem Mukta Singh, Saptadip Miatur · Nutrigenomics and Food Science: Revolutionizing Personalized Nutrition · 2026

93Chapter 5 Molecular, biochemical, and metabolic approaches to functional foods

B.O. Yusuf, Saheed Sabiu · Food Biotechnology · 2025

Showing 20 of 83 known citations — external sources report more than can currently be individually listed.

Article metrics

Real usage data collected on this platform.

122

Page views

0

PDF downloads

44

Outbound clicks

83

Citations

Views over time

Views by country

Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".

Traffic sources

Referring site, by host.

Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.