What are FUNCTIONAL FOODS + Why Do We Need Them?

In this video I talk about what functional foods are and why we need them as part of a healthy diet. Functional food is anything you eat that benefits your health beyond just basic energy and macronutrients. The Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics defines functional food as anything you include as part of a balanced diet that can reduce the risk of disease or improve your health in a number of different ways.
The two main types of functional food in this video are: 1) conventional food, and 2) modified food. Conventional foods are good for you in their natural form (oatmeal, salmon, fruits/vegetables). Modified foods are fortified or enhanced with ingredients to boost the health benefits (breakfast cereal and greens powder drinks).
On this channel, I talk about nutrition to build muscle and lose fat, but learning about functional food is an important reminder that there's more to health and wellness than reaching your fitness goals. In 2021, people are more health conscious than ever and looking at food as a way to improve overall health and wellness.