Functional foods

• Functional foods


  Foods that have more benefits over other foods
• How is probiotic yoghurt a functional food?

  • Because yoghurt is not pasteurised, bacteria is still present.
  • When you eat yoghurt, some bacteria survive the journey to the small intestine
  • They then become apart of your gut flora
  • Contains specific bacteria which aids healthy digestion
• Probiotic organisms


  • The thought that some foods are beneficial to humans
• What can probiotic yoghurt help with?

  Reduces the recovery period following an attack of diarrhoea
• Prebiotics


  • Non digestible ingredients that encourage the growth of good bacteria in your gut
  • Bifidobacteria and lactobacilli
• Plant stanol esters


  • Compounds used in functional foods
  • Reduces cholesterol levels
• HDL cholesterol


  • Good cholesterol
• LDL cholesterol


  • Bad cholesterol
  • Leads to clogging of arteries which causes heart attacks and strokes
• What do plant stanols do?

  • Mops up bad cholesterol
  • Lowers cholesterol in blood
  • Reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes