Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals

3 credits · Undergraduate

Foods contain compounds that not only supply us with energy but also help us develop and maintain health. Functional foods are defined as those that contain compounds with health promoting properties. Nutraceuticals are naturally occurring compounds in foods that have health-promoting properties or can be purified from foods and delivered as a supplement. The aim of this course is to discuss several classes of functional foods and nutraceuticals and identify the specific compounds that have health promoting properties. Discussion will also focus on the structure-function/dynamic-mechanisms relationship with both human and animal systems leading to the observed benefits.