How are functional foods defined?

Functional foods are defined as those that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. This concept goes beyond the traditional understanding of food as merely a source of nutrients. Functional foods can contribute positively to health by helping to reduce the risk of disease or promoting optimal health and well-being due to their additional components such as phytochemicals, antioxidants, probiotics, or omega-3 fatty acids.

For instance, foods like oats, which contain beta-glucan, can help lower cholesterol levels, or foods rich in antioxidants, like berries, which may reduce the risk of chronic diseases. These health-enhancing properties are what differentiate functional foods from regular foods that predominantly provide basic nutritional value without additional health benefits.

Other answer choices, while they describe certain types of foods, do not encapsulate the broader health-related benefits associated with functional foods. Basic nutritional value is important, but by itself, it does not reflect the special attributes of functional foods. Genetically modified foods focus on how the food is produced rather than its health aspects, and foods that are low in calories specifically address caloric content, failing to consider the functional or health-promoting characteristics of the food.