Designer morsels-1
Ready-to-eat health foods offer diverse choices. Dr HN Mishra presents the first part of the series on convenience foods
Diet may strongly influence an individual's risk of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and other lifestyle-related diseases. Traditionally, the healthfulness has been associated with nutritional factors such as fat, fibre, salt and vitamin contents of food. In addition to traditional healthiness, food may contain single components that may have a positive impact on our well-being. Products that are claimed to have special beneficial physiological effects in the body are usually called functional foods. The term 'neutraceutical' was coined by Stephen De Felice, founder of the Foundation for Innovation in Medicine, in 1989. He defined a neutraceutical as a food, dietary supplement or medical food that has a medical or health benefit including the prevention or treatment of disease. Today, the term neutraceuticals is often used interchangeably with functional food. According to EU concerted action, "A food can be considered as functional if it has been satisfactorily demonstrated to affect beneficially one or more target functions in the body beyond adequate nutritional effects in a way that is relevant to either an improved state of health and well being and/or a reduction of risk of disease." These functional foods may also be used as conventional foods.
Health foods are those, which are nutritious, prevent diseases and maintain health. Such foods must possess characteristics like modified composition, limit the presence of certain potentially harmful components and possibility of including certain desirable ingredients either naturally or by addition. Health foods are also called 'designer foods' which are conceived as foods that have therapeutic or polyphyletic characteristics. Designer food is an evolving concept meant for reducing or delaying the risk of diseases. Energy foods, particularly sugars and fats, provide the body with energy. A high-carbohydrate meal will help body to maintain a more consistent sugar level in the case of hypoglycemic individuals. High-potassium foods such as oranges, bananas, apricots or cantaloupe are an excellent
choice for those who are very active and perspire heavily.
Convenience foods:
An emerging trend
Convenience foods or tertiary processed foods are foods that are designed to save consumers' time in the kitchen, reduce costs due to spoilage and reduce costs using economies of
