Functional Foods
The American diet already contains numerous functional foods. Two of the earliest functional foods introduced in the United States were iodized salt and milk fortified with Vitamins A and D. More recently, manufacturers began fortifying breads and grains with folic acid to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects.
Although experts suggest that all foods are functional, functional foods are defined as foods to which health-promoting or disease-preventing components have been added. They include foods that are fortified, enriched, or enhanced or that contain dietary components with additional potential to benefit health. Some examples of functional foods are calcium-fortified orange juice, margarine enriched with sterols or stanols to lower the risk of heart disease, sports bars for energy and improved athletic performance, and vitamin B-12-enriched soy milk for vegetarians.
Dietary Challenges for Various Population Groups
MyPlate and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans provide a basis that nearly everyone can use to create a healthy diet. However, different population groups should be aware of special dietary challenges.
Children and Teenagers The best approach for parents with young children is to provide a variety of foods. For example, parents can add vegetables to casseroles and fruit to cereal, or they can offer fruit and vegetable juices or homemade yogurt or fruit shakes instead of sugary drinks. Many children and teenagers enjoy eating at fast-food restaurants, but they should be encouraged to select the healthiest menu choices and to balance the day’s diet with low-fat, nutrient-rich foods. Allowing children to help prepare meals is another good way to encourage good eating habits.
Functional Foods Photo Gallery
College Students Foods that are convenient for college students are not always the healthiest choices. Students who eat in buffet-style dining halls, cafeterias, and snack bars can easily overeat, and the foods offered are not necessarily high in nutrients or low in fat. The same is true of meals at fast-food restaurants. However, it is possible to make healthy eating both convenient and affordable. See the tips in the box “Eating Strategies for College Students.”
Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women Good nutrition is essential to a healthy pregnancy. Nutrition counseling before conception can help a women establish a balanced eating plan and healthy body weight for a healthy pregnancy. During pregnancy and while breastfeeding, women have special nutritional needs. Pregnant or breastfeeding women are often advised to take a nutrient supplement in addition to following a special diet, as recommended by MyPlate’s Daily Food Plan for Moms. To reduce the risk of neural tube defects in the fetus, the U.S. Public Health Service recommends that all women of childbearing age get 400 pg of folic acid daily from fortified foods or supplements.
