Functional Foods

Although there is no universally accepted definition of functional foods, this term essentially describes foods that contain bioactive compounds believed to result in particular health benefits. These health benefits range from the facilitation of physiological functions (e.g., digestion, bone growth) to the prevention of disease (e.g., heart disease, breast cancer). Tomatoes, for example, are considered a whole functional food. They contain significant amounts of lycopene, a compound thought to maintain prostate functions. Functional foods also include processed foods with functional additives such as energy drinks and fiber-enriched cereals. In some ways, “functional food” is just a new term for the age-old belief that the consumption of certain foods will result in particular bodily changes. However, in a world of increased biochemical research and regulatory control, functional foods blur the line between food and drug (evidenced best by their alternative name of “nutraceuticals”) and thus warrant careful study. A social examination of functional foods is quite relevant to the larger study of green foods for several reasons. On one hand, linking health benefits with fresh, organic fruits and vegetables may inspire people to support more local, organic, and diversified farms, thereby increasing the viability of sustainable agriculture. On the other hand, increased emphasis on functional foods may [Page 215]also usher in a greater privatization of the agrofood system, especially in terms of food science research.

Functional food's recent growth is indicative of a larger ideological swing wherein people understand a healthy diet as a collection of particular nutrients, as opposed to particular foods or meals. Many Westerners today strive less for a balanced diet of the major food groups and more for consumption of “good” nutrients (e.g., omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, antioxidants) and avoidance of “bad” nutrients (e.g., omega-6, saturated fats, simple sugars). Accordingly, “good” nutrients lead to better physiological functions, therefore driving consumers toward foods associated with particular functional ingredients. Much of the nutritional information that informs consumers about bioactive compounds and the foods that contain them comes from television, magazines, and other media sources. In addition, a great amount of information linking certain nutrients to health effects comes in the form of functional-food packaging.

Allowing health claims on food packaging is very controversial. Food manufacturers argue that there is no harm in placing health claims on food packaging and that instead, such packaging will lead to greater public health. Accordingly, they contend that such labels will better inform consumers about healthy food choices, leading to a more nutritionally conscious and healthy society. They also argue that allowing health claims on food labels gives private companies a vested interest in supporting more food science research that will otherwise go unfunded.

Many public health professionals disagree with the belief that health claims on packaging will lead to improved public health. First, nutritionists question how generalizable functional foods and their attached health benefits are. Second, they argue that the supposed health benefits of functional foods are often overstated. For example, studies that link the health claims to particular nutrients or foods are often inconclusive or limited to certain demographic groups, making their relevance to greater public health questionable. Some nutritionists also doubt the effectiveness of processed functional foods, questioning whether the functionality of certain ingredients is overridden by other non-health-promoting ingredients (e.g., salts, sugars, pesticides). Public health professionals also worry that allowing health claims on packaging will place the responsibility for food research funding in the private sector, resulting in research that will benefit a few private companies and their products more so than the public good. Instead, these professionals argue that public health will be best ensured by environmental protections, equal access to healthy foods, and health education.

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