Functional Foods Flashcards
What are the three types of functional foods
Prebiotics probiotics and plant Stanol esters
What is a functional food
Something that has a health benefit beyond nutrition.
What do probiotics do
They compete with disease causing bacteria and help establish natural bacteria after an infection.
Why do probiotics produce lactic acid in the gut
To kill disease causing bacteria.
Name an example of a probiotic
Bifidobacteria and lactobacillus
What do Prebiotics do
They are carbohydrates we cannot digest. They are a food supply for good bacteria in your digestive system. They promote the growth of good bacteria
How do we get a supply of Prebiotics
Thy occur naturally in foods like bananas leeks and tomatoes but we can also have supplements
Give an example of a prebiotic
Oligosaccharides
What do plant Stanol esters do
Chemicals that lower blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease
How do we receive them
They occur naturally in plants in a small amount so we use bacteria to convert sterols into stanols and add this to some yogurts or dairy replacements
