What Are Nutraceuticals?

June 13, 2008 by GiGi · 4 Comments

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As I was getting ready to post my next article, I realized a short lesson in the difference between nutraceuticals and dietary supplements may be in order.

Okay, I’ll admit it, I didn’t really know the difference myself.

According to the aaps Journal (The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists):

A nutraceutical is a combination of the words “nutrition” and “pharmaceutical” and refers to “a food (or part of a food) that provides medical or health benefits, including the prevention and/or treatment of a disease.”

Functional Foods

Now we need to know what a “functional food” is. When food is being cooked or prepared using “scientific intelligence” with or without knowledge of how or why it is being used, the food is called “functional food.” Thus, functional food provides the body with the required amount of vitamins, fats, proteins, carbohydrates, etc, needed for its healthy survival.

When functional food aids in the prevention and/or treatment of disease(s) and/or disorder(s) other than anemia, it is called a nutraceutical. Examples of nutraceuticals include fortified dairy products (eg, milk) and citrus fruits (eg, orange juice).

So What Is A Dietary Supplement?

a product (other than tobacco) that is intended to supplement the diet that bears or contains one or more of the following dietary ingredients: a vitamin, a mineral, an herb or other botanical, an amino acid, a dietary substance for use by man to supplement the diet by increasing the total daily intake, or a concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract, or combinations of these ingredients.

intended for ingestion in pill, capsule, tablet, or liquid form.

not represented for use as a conventional food or as the sole item of a meal or diet.

labeled as a “dietary supplement.”

The Important Difference Between Nutraceuticals and Dietary Supplements

Nutraceuticals must not only supplement the diet but should also aid in the prevention and/or treatment of disease and/or disorder.

Nutraceuticals are represented for use as a conventional food or as the sole item of meal or diet.

I highlighted that because it’s an important distinction to note.

In my next article, I’ll be talking about nutraceuticals - and now you’ll understand what they are.

Till then,