A well-balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, as well as the proper macronutrient ratio, is essential for good health. However, we do not always get enough of these important nutrients. Inadequate nutrition can cause oxidative stress, which can lead to other health problems.

 

Nutritional research is constantly evolving, with new discoveries and innovative technologies. Nutraceuticals are one such advancement that bridges the gap between nutrition and medicine.

This article explains what nutraceuticals are, what role they play in overall body health, and how to incorporate them into your diet.

What are Nutraceuticals?

Nutraceuticals are food-derived supplements that provide both nutrition and medicinal benefits. Nutraceuticals are also referred to as the following terms:

Foods that are functional

Foods for medical purposes

Gourmet foods

Phytochemicals

dietary supplements

Dietary supplements, diets, herbal products, genetically engineered foods, and vitamins are examples of these products. They have a high concentration of bioactive compounds derived from nature that have physiological benefits and aid in disease prevention and treatment.

History

Stephen DeFelice, the founder and chairperson of the Foundation for Innovation in Medicine in Cranford, New Jersey, coined the term "nutraceutical" in 1989. A nutraceutical, according to DeFelice, is a "food, or parts of a food, that provide medical or health benefits, including disease prevention and treatment." 2

Many ancient cultures ingrained the concept of using food for both nutrition and medicine. Nutraceuticals have been around for nearly 3,000 years! When Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, recognised the link between food and health, it became popular.

People in India and China have traditionally consumed a variety of natural foods that are thought to be medicinal. Countries such as Germany, France, and England were among the first to prioritize diet over exercise and hereditary factors in people's efforts to achieve good health.

Nutraceuticals have progressed from their traditional roots to a highly scientific field in which the efficiency and safety of the products are supported by evidence, new research, and developing technologies.

How Nutraceuticals Function

A healthy diet benefits your health by providing the nutrients your body requires to repair, grow, and function properly. Nutraceuticals can be used as a supplement if your diet lacks these essential nutrients and vitamins.

Nutraceuticals, Metabolism, and Nutrients

Nutrients are the chemical elements found in food. Proteins, carbohydrates, and fats provide energy, while vitamins, water, electrolytes, and minerals are required for a healthy metabolism.

Metabolism is the process of converting the food we eat into energy, which is then used to synthesize compounds required by all cells in the body. Metabolism is responsible for keeping all cells and organs alive.

The pathways of metabolism are determined by the nutrients that are broken down during the process. Our body, including all organs and systems, functions well when all nutrients are present in the proper amounts. This means that your body can heal or repair itself in a timely and effective manner.

However, if you do not get enough nutrients, your body will take longer to repair and you may experience harmful complications. When this occurs, nutraceuticals can supplement the nutrients required for optimal metabolic function.

Types 

Nutraceuticals are classified into three types based on their function, food source, and bioactive components. The majority of them fall into two broad categories: dietary supplements and functional foods.

Food Supplements

Dietary supplements are products that contain concentrated bioactive nutrients from a food source that have been processed into an appropriate dosage form. These supplements may contain amino acids, vitamins, herbs or other botanicals, minerals, important metabolites, and specific enzymes.

Dietary supplements come in tablet, capsule, powder, and liquid form, as well as gummies, energy bars, and any other suitable form.

Nutraceuticals, which fall under the category of dietary supplements, not only supplement the diet but also promote health and disease prevention.

Foods with Functional Properties

Any food or food ingredient that provides a health benefit other than basic nutrition is considered functional

This category includes whole foods as well as fortified, enriched, or enhanced foods that can improve health when consumed on a regular basis as part of a varied diet. Functional food appears to be food and is available in the form of pasta, cereal, whole grains, yoghurt, snacks, and other items.

Functional foods include:

Traditional Functional Foods: These are nutrient-dense natural foods that provide health benefits in addition to basic nutrition, such as omega-3 fatty acids in salmon and lycopene in tomatoes.

Non-Traditional Functional Food: These are artificial foods that have been specially prepared by incorporating bioactive elements that promote health and well-being. Fortified nutraceuticals include calcium-fortified juice, iron-fortified cereal, and folic acid-fortified flour. Recombinant nutraceuticals, which are energy-producing foods such as bread, yoghurt, cheese, and vinegar produced using biotechnology techniques, are also examples of modified functional foods.

Advantages 

Nutraceuticals have grown in popularity in recent years. They are used as an alternative or supplemental treatment in conjunction with pharmaceuticals to help prevent and treat a variety of diseases.

They have sparked significant interest due to their potential nutritional value, wellbeing, accessibility, and multiple therapeutic effects, and are frequently viewed as an appealing alternative to conventional treatments.

Nutraceuticals can help prevent diseases and improve overall health and well-being by playing an important role in the body's various biological processes.

Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment

Nutraceuticals are important in preventing the occurrence of chronic diseases and minimising their complications. They may be used in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and inflammatory diseases, as per evidence.

Improve Your Eye Health

Certain nutraceuticals can help patients with eye disorders and conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and visual disorders.

Boost Immune Function

Immune boosting nutraceuticals such as green tea, blueberries, amino acids, and vitamin D have been found to be beneficial in improving and strengthening immune health and thus aiding in disease prevention.

 

Herbs and plant extracts such as echinacea and astragalus support in stem cell development and regeneration. Garlic's anti-inflammatory properties can help the immune system function better.

Improve Your Gut Health

Many nutraceuticals, such as prebiotics, probiotics, flavonoids, aloe vera, resveratrol, and omega-3 and omega-6 acids, can revive and boost the development of good bacteria in the gut while reducing the effect of harmful bacteria. Nutraceuticals have been shown to influence inflammation pathways and to strengthen the body's natural gut defense mechanisms.

Promote Reproductive Health

Many nutraceuticals are beneficial to both male and female reproductive health. Nutraceuticals help with male infertility11 and dysfunction, as well as sperm damage prevention. Certain nutraceuticals can influence hormones and are used to improve fertility, preconception, pregnancy outcomes, and menstrual support in women.

Inflammation should be treated

Because of the presence of phytochemicals, nutraceuticals are showing remarkable results in the prevention and treatment of inflammation. They have the ability to reduce oxidative stress in chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and autoimmune diseases.

Improve Sports Medicine

Nutraceuticals are useful in sports medicine because they help athletes improve their performance13 while also lessening oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction caused by strenuous exercise.

MTNs (mitochondria-targeted nutraceuticals)particularly resveratrol and quercetin, have been shown to have antioxidant properties at the molecular level, which enhances mitochondrial bioenergetics and leads to improved workout performance as well as recovery.

Prolong Life

Nutraceuticals provide preventative care to the body, which increases life expectancy by lowering the risk of many diseases and assisting the body in recovering quickly.

Certain nutraceuticals, such as those found in citrus fruits and soybeans, help rebuild healthier cells and enhance gene expression. Some nutraceuticals can promote longevity by slowing the aging process.

Enhance Mental Health

Studies show that nutrients and nutraceuticals can help with the mitigation, control, and treatment of mental health disorders and psychological functioning.

Certain nutrients and nutraceutical compounds, such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins B and D, magnesium, iron, zinc, curcumin, lycopene, and b-carotene, have shown promising results in improving mood, stress, anxiety, depression, and cognitive functioning.

Antioxidant-rich nutraceuticals aid in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

Other Nutraceutical Applications -

Here are some additional advantages of nutraceuticals:

Improve your overall health.

Boost energy

Improve sleep,

Regulate bodily functions

Improve your skincare

Improve your mental clarity

Reduce your craving