ABSTRACT
Functional foods and nutraceuticals play a major role in combating and mitigating various lifestyle-related illnesses and disorders. These foods contain dietary ingredients that help maintain a healthy lifestyle and may even cure certain diseases. A food can be described as functional if it has a significant health effect that extends beyond basic traditional nutrition. Nutraceutical products are derived from foods that contain essential components which, like functional foods, have therapeutic effects. Their beneficial components may be isolated and purified from plant, animal, or marine sources. They are readily available and have good stability. This chapter focuses on the basic concepts of functional foods and nutraceuticals and examines some of their sources, including fruits, vegetables, cereals, and legumes. Functional foods and nutraceuticals have attracted worldwide attention and they constitute an expanding global market.
