Definition & Meaning of "functional food"

What is a "functional food"?

Functional food refers to foods that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. These foods contain biologically active compounds or ingredients that may have positive effects on health when consumed as part of a balanced diet. Functional foods can include a wide variety of items, such as fortified foods, like vitamin-fortified cereal or calcium-fortified orange juice, probiotics, like yogurt with live cultures, omega-3 enriched foods, such as eggs or milk, and foods containing antioxidants, like fruits and vegetables.