FAQ

What are nutraceuticals?
The term nutraceutical describes products made from natural sources that have health benefits beyond the basic nutritional value found in food. Nutraceuticals are used to promote general well-being and prevent illnesses.

There is no globally accepted definition for what a nutraceutical is, so definitions, attitudes and legislation around nutraceuticals tend to vary from country to country.

The state of the nutraceutical industry
Globally, nutraceuticals are becoming more important as they become part of consumers’ daily diets.

In 2020, the global market for nutraceuticals was worth about US$233.9 billion – a figure that’s projected to reach US$358.5 billion by 2027.

After North America, Japan and China are the next largest nutraceuticals consumers. Together, they make up about 78% of the total market in the Asia Pacific region.

1. Rise in chronic and non-communicable diseases
According to the World Health Organisation’s most recent research, obesity worldwide has almost tripled since 1975 – with more than 1.9 billion adults overweight, and 650 million of these classed as obese. Obesity is a bigger problem than hunger, according to Tim Lobstein, policy director at the World Obesity Federation.

Globalisation and urbanisation in developing countries have increased, resulting in more cases of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart ailments and lung disorders. Chronic conditions such as obesity, allergies and Alzheimers are more prevalent too.

Poor nutrition – a major risk factor for chronic conditions and non-communicable diseases – is driving demand for nutraceuticals across the globe.

2. Rising healthcare costs
Across the world spending on health is growing faster than the rest of the global economy, accounting for 10% of global GDP, as revealed by a 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report.

Consumers who want to improve their health without paying for medical treatments are turning to the nutraceutical industry to help them. And health-conscious consumers who are looking for alternatives to over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs are turning to alternatives such as fortified food and beverages.

3. Baby Boomers want to enjoy retirement
Baby Boomers make up a huge number of nutraceutical consumers. This demographic group has disposable income to afford nutraceuticals and are driven to maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout retirement – and these two factors are contributing to the rise in demand for nutraceuticals.

As Millennials are moving further along their career, they’re increasingly able to spend money on creating a healthy lifestyle and making more sustainable choices.

4. Mistrust in conventional medicine
Concern over pharmaceutical drugs and their side effects is rising – an issue that has really come to the forefront with the introduction of Covid-19 vaccines and other viral treatments during the pandemic.

With nutraceuticals thought of as a more natural alternative, this is expected to promote the consumption of nutraceuticals over the next few years.

5. Growing demand for convenience
Consumers crave convenience. Baby Boomers don’t want to keep popping pills, and Millennials demand on-the-go products. For the pill-adverse, nutraceuticals can also take the form of gummies and effervescent tablets. Nutraceutical snacks include protein bars, dry nuts, grains and bars — perfect for snacking on the run.

Benefits of Nutraceuticals
Nutraceuticals may offer many benefits:

a) May increase the health value of our diet.

b) May help us live longer.

c) May help us to avoid particular medical conditions.

d) May have a psychological benefit from doing something for one self.

e) May be perceived to be more “natural” than traditional medicine and less likely to produce unpleasant side effects.

f) May present food for populations with special needs (e.g. nutrient-dense foods for the elderly).

g) May easily be available and economically affordable The nutraceutical products are recognized and produce health benefits such as to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease and also to prevent or treat hypertension, high cholesterol, excessive weight, osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis, digestive upsets and constipation, not to mention headaches . Nutraceuticals are available in concentrated forms as pills, capsules, powders and tinctures either as a single substance or as combination preparations.

Nutraceutical Categories
Nutraceutical is a broad term. There are many types of products that fall under the category of nutraceuticals:

Dietary Supplement Including
a. Nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fatty acids and antioxidants.

b. Herbals: Herbs or botanical products as concentrates and extracts.

c. Phytochemicals are polyphenols, isoflavonoids, anthocyanidins, phytoestrogens, terpenoids, carotenoids, limonoids, phytosterols, glucosinolates, and polysaccharides.

d. Probiotics are live microbial feed supplement for improving its intestinal microbial balance. Lactobacillus bacteria and bifidobacteria are most important and probiotics.

e. Prebiotics: A fermented dietary ingredient that allows specific changes both in the composition and/or the activity of the gastrointestinal microbiota that exchange benefits upon the host wellbeing and health.

f. Nutraceutical Enzymes.

g. Dietary Fibers includes non-starchy polysaccharides such as cellulose, hemicelluloses, gum and pectin, lignin and resistant dextrins.

Nutraceuticals can be a handy source of nutrients, but not all of them provide fiber or anything close to the health benefits of whole foods. For one thing, since the federal government doesn’t regulate herbs and supplements as it does prescription and over-the-counter drugs, herbal remedies don’t have to go through rigorous testing or display labels with consumer warnings. Scientists aren’t always certain which compounds are the active ingredients — or even if the nutraceuticals contain the listed ingredients. For another, it’s possible that some of these vital substances work only within the natural milieu formed by the other nutrients in foods. And finally, there’s no guarantee that key compounds will survive the transformation from real foods to pills.

What is the Meaning of Nutraceutical – Nutraceutical may obtain a term that originated from “nutrition” and “pharmaceutics”. The term uses for products that are isolated from herbal products, dietary supplements (nutrients), specific diets, and processed foods like cereals, soups, and beverages that aside from nutrition also are used as medicine. Such functional food products contain various minerals, vitamins, dietary fibers, hydrolyzed proteins, prebiotics, and probiotics which are very helpful within the provision of nutrition to the physical body.

Nutraceutical products are available within the type of sports drinks, dairy products, snacks, and pre-packaged diet meals. These nutraceuticals help in combating a variety of the most health problems of the century like obesity, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, cholesterol, etc. On whole, ‘nutraceutical’ has produced a new era of medication and health, while the food industry has grown into a specialized-oriented division.

Functional foods are another kind of nutraceutical product. Instead of using a dietary complement, operative foods are improved with nutrients and eaten frequently. The two categories of useful foods are prepared food and fermented foods. Some examples involve foods supplemented with vitamins, minerals, probiotics, or fiber. Nutrient-rich ingredients like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grains are often considered functional foods also.

Liquid Prenatal Vitamins
Vitamin D3
Garcinia Cambogia
Raspberry Ketones
Green Tea Supplements
Echinacea
Probiotics
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Alpha-lipoic Acid
Vitamin B12
Functional foods are frequently classified into two categories: conventional and modified. Common foods are straightforward, whole-food components that are plentiful in essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and heart-healthy fats. Meanwhile, mitigated foods are supplemented with added ingredients, such as vitamins, minerals, probiotics, or fiber, to increase a food’s health compensations.

prevent nutrient deficiencies
protect against disease
promote proper growth and development
Therefore, nutraceuticals could also be wont to improve health, prevent chronic diseases, postpone the aging process, and successively increase anticipation, or simply support the functions and integrity of the body. These products are considered to be healthy sources for the prevention of life-threatening diseases like diabetes, renal and gastrointestinal disorders, also as different infections.

• Fruits: berries, kiwi, pears, peaches, apples, oranges, bananas
• Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, zucchini
• Nuts: almonds, cashews, pistachios, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts
• Seeds: chia roots, flax roots, hemp roots, pumpkin seeds
• Legumes: black beans, chickpeas, navy beans, lentils
• Whole grains: oats, barley, buckwheat, rice, couscous
• Seafood: salmon, sardines, anchovies, mackerel, cod
• Fermented foods: tempeh, kombucha, kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut
• Herbs and spices: turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper
• Beverages: coffee, green tea, black tea

By Type:

Functional Food:

Probiotics Fortified Food
Omega carboxylic acid Fortified Food
Branded Ionized Salt
Branded flour Market
Other Functional Food
Functional Beverages:

Fruit & Vegetable Juices and Drinks
Dairy & Dairy Alternative Drinks
Noncarbonated Drinks
Dietary Supplements:

Proteins & Peptides
Vitamins & Minerals
Herbals
Future articles during this short series are going to be reviewing the scientific and medical claims concerning nutraceuticals that don’t fall under the higher known and well-researched categories like vitamins, amino acids, and herbal remedies. Most products review is present biochemicals that are effectively getting used to supplement endogenous levels of those constituents that occur naturally in human metabolism, whether single component products like glucosamine, or more complex products like proanthocyanidin.