What Are the Benefits of Functional Foods?

Research by the International Food Information Council has found that Americans are increasingly aware of the benefits of functional foods, with more than three out of every four able to identify a functional food and its associated health benefit. The food/benefit pairs most often cited are related to American's two top health concerns - heart disease and cancer.

Not surprisingly, those more likely to be affected by a particular disorder were more familiar with related functional foods. For example, the survey identified these differences according to age and gender:

• 56% of women correctly identified cranberries and juice with reduced risk of urinary tract infections, compared with 33% of men.
• 55% of those age 55 and older are aware of a connection between soy and heart health, compared with just 35% of those aged 35 to 54, and only a quarter of 18- to 34-year-olds.
• 75% of women believe that soy is effective in reducing the risk of heart disease, compared with just 53% of men.
• Women are more likely than men to be aware of the antioxidant-cancer connection (53% vs 42%).
• 40% of women know that calcium is associated with reduced risk of osteoporosis, compared to just 24% of men.

Overall, the survey found more Americans are aware of functional foods and their associated health benefits now: 82% in the latest survey, compared with 77% in 1998.