Improved well-being with functional products
Most of us manage well with a healthy basic diet but, in some cases, functional food may be beneficial. Functional food or health-beneficial food products are products that have been developed for daily use and contain some ingredients that have a positive effect on the function of an organ.
It is not possible to call any product ‘functional’ because the effects of the product must first be proved in reliable scientific studies. In the future, in accordance with new European legislation on nutrition and health claims, only approved health claims may be used for marketing food products. Thus, the consumer will have even better possibilities to choose products with scientifically proven positive health effects.
Functional foods improve health, maintain well-being or reduce the risk of illness when they are consumed as part of a healthy balanced diet. Functional foods include, for example, products that contain probiotics and increase immunity or margarine that contains plant stanols which lower the blood cholesterol level and reduces the risk of coronary thrombosis.
Products containing beneficial lactic acid bacteria
Beneficial bacteria or probiotics are living microorganisms that have beneficial health effects when consumed in the right way. In most cases, probiotics are lactic acid bacteria or bifidobacteria. They occur naturally and have been used for centuries to increase the longevity of food products, such as sour milk products, and to add more taste to products.
Beneficial lactic acid bacteria – or probiotics – differ from regular lactic acid bacteria as they have several proven positive health effects. When used regularly, probiotics become established in the intestines and their positive effects can be observed. It has been proved that probiotics increase the resistance of the stomach and the intestines against harmful bacteria. However, probiotics have differences according to their strain. As a result, different products that contain probiotics affect different mechanisms in the system.
Products that contain probiotics are well-suited for everyone. They can be used to boost natural resistance, reduce the risk of infection, and to prevent and cure viral diarrhoea, traveller’s diarrhoea and the side effects of antibiotics. The products should be consumed regularly and on a daily basis in order to maintain their effect because once they are no longer consumed, the beneficial bacteria disappear from the body within a few days. When cooking, it should be taken into account that probiotics can only be heated up to 50 degrees Celsius.
You will find the largest selection of products containing functional lactic acid bacteria on the milk shelf because probiotics have been added to, for example, milk, sour milk, yoghurt and health drinks. Also, berry soups and fruit drinks that contain probiotics are available.
Cholesterol-lowering products
When the blood cholesterol level is too high, it can be lowered by consuming products which have added plant sterols or stanols. These compounds are natural ingredients in plants and they occur naturally in small amounts; for example, in vegetable oil and conifer trees. Plant stanols and sterols have been proved to impair the uptake of cholesterol. According to research, the intake of products that contain plant sterols or stanols in accordance with the guidelines and as part of a healthy diet reduces the level of harmful LDL cholesterol in the blood but does not have any significant affect on the good HDL cholesterol.
Plant stanols or sterols are added to the cholesterol-lowering products found on the market. The first products were margarines, but nowadays yoghurt drinks are also available. These products are intended to be used as part of a varied diet for those who wish to lower their blood cholesterol level. When using such products, they must be used regularly and in the right amount (which depends on the product in question). Only a sufficient daily intake (2 g) of plant stanol or sterol efficiently lowers the blood cholesterol level.
