Health professionals need tools as they implement their protocols and strategies in order to help patients heal or prevent diseases. Be it medicines and medical procedures for doctors, gym equipment, and exercise programs for fitness experts and so on. Registered nutritionist dietitians, like myself, use food as our main tool in helping patients achieve optimum health. After all, how can we nourish our patient’s bodies without food? How can we correct nutrient imbalances without targeted supplementation? How can we repair the body without functional food?
Functional food are not supplements. They are conventional foods that have benefits beyond basic nutrition. They don’t just provide carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Functional foods may come from animal sources like honey that helps boost immunity by feeding the beneficial bacteria in the gut or fatty fishes that provide the essential fatty acid omega-3. However, plant sources are superior forms of functional foods as they have other components like phytonutrients or plant chemicals, antioxidants, and fiber which cannot be obtained from animal origin.
Most of functional foods can be consumed from conventional foods that we buy from the market or stores like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that can be cooked or prepared fresh at home before consumption. However, when we are talking about concentration of phytonutrients, practically speaking, we can’t consume 12 cups of broccoli per day to get the sulfur compounds that ward off cancer, right? Therefore, these functional foods and some parts of them may have to be consumed in modified form. We must make sure that the sources are from wholesome and minimally processed plant sources like freeze-dried powdered berries.
If doctors prescribe medications, as a registered nutritionist dietitian, I prescribe food and functional foods. Food is medicine. Medications will address symptoms of diseases and you have to take it as prescribed by your physicians. On the other hand, food and functional food will help you repair damaged cells and organs, quell inflammation that is present during periods of illness, and repair cells all over the body including balancing of immune system, gut microbiome, and hormones.
Here are some of the functional foods that I recommend to manage and prevent diseases, as well as, promote overall health:
Mushrooms
Mushrooms contain polysaccharides or long chain carbohydrate molecules that promote healthy immune system. Shiitake mushrooms are particularly rich in iron to prevent anemia without the risk of iron overload from meat sources of heme iron. Cordyceps mushrooms have been proven to decrease tumor size, prevent formation of abnormal growth like cysts, promote production of natural killer cells to fight cancer. It has anti-microbial properties to ward off infections from bacteria and viruses.
Turmeric
Whether boiled or powdered, turmeric contains curcumin which is anti-inflammatory, helps stabilize blood glucose and promote healthy liver. It prevents the formation of new blood vessels in cancer cells. Thereby arresting development of cancer. Curcumin’s absorption is enhanced when taken with black pepper, which contains piperine.
Wheatgrass
Two grams of powdered wheatgrass is equivalent to 10kg of vegetables in terms of nutritional value. It has chlorophyll, which has a similar structure as our red blood cells, helping prevent anemia and keeping the blood well oxygenated. Wheatgrass contains the powerful antioxidant and enzyme superoxide dismutase (SAD). This helps in blood pressure control by keeping the blood vessels healthy. SAD also protects and keeps sperm cells healthy. This is important for couples who wish to conceive.
American Ginseng
Unlike other types of ginseng that are stimulants, the more expensive American ginseng has adaptogenic properties for stress. If you’re weak, it can make you feel more energetic. On the other hand, if you’re stressed out, it can reduce the production of stress hormones like cortisol to help you relax. This is the reason why it promotes quality sleep. It contains ginsenosides that balance immunity, promote nerve regeneration, and healthy cell growth while preventing tumor growth.
Hawthorn
Hawthorn is a shrub. It also has berries. It is consumed as tea or juice and may come in powdered form too. Hawthorn is particularly beneficial to the blood pressure because it can dilate narrowed blood vessels. It has also been proven to normalize cholesterol and triglycerides. It contains abundant flavonoids that act as antioxidants. Thus, preventing damage to the kidneys.
Soy
Soy is a complete protein source that is tantamount to animal protein sans the side effects of having cholesterol and unwanted fats. In fact, it lowers cholesterol and acts as food for the beneficial bacteria in our gut. Aside from muscle building, soy can help prevent hormone related cancers due to its plant hormones, phytoestrogens. It can also relieve hot flashes among menopausal women and those who have undergone cancer treatment.
Quinoa
Quinoa is a whole grain that provides all the nine essential amino acids just like soy to ensure that we get complete protein if we’re on a predominantly plant-based diet. Quinoa has fiber to help form stool and facilitate bowel movement. This is a great alternative to rice during meal times. Half a cup of quinoa is about 100 calories, just like rice, but it has double the amount of protein yet will not burden the kidneys compared to animal meat.
Pricky Pear Cactus
Also known as Opuntia, prickly pear cactus is served as a nutritious soup in Mexico. Since we are far from where it is sourced, prickly pear cactus reaches our shores in the form of juice, pills, or powdered. Cactus has approximately 10,000 phytochemicals that act as antioxidants to neutralize toxic free radicals that are formed in the body as a response to stress, exposure to pollution and toxins, and unhealthy food consumption. Cactus can also help regulate blood glucose, promote healthy skin, act as kidney tonic, and relieve digestive problems.
If you want to reap the benefits of functional food and wish to incorporate these and more in your diet, consult a functional nutritionist dietitian.