Nutraceutical

1. 19-09-2022 Dr. Sandeep Singh Rana 1

2. Classification of Nutraceuticals
a) Traditional nutraceuticals
a) Chemical Constituents
b) Probiotic Microorganisms
c) Nutraceutical Enzymes
b) Non-traditional nutraceuticals
a) Fortified nutraceuticals
b) Recombinant nutraceuticals
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3. Traditional nutraceuticals
Traditional nutraceuticals are simply natural with no changes to the food. Food
contains several natural components that deliver benefits beyond basic nutrition.
Such as lycopene in tomatoes, omega-3 fatty acids in salmon or saponins in soy
I. Chemical Constituents
a) Nutrients: Substances such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fatty acids
with established nutritional functions.
Example: Most vegetables, wholegrain cereals, dairy products, fruits and animal products such as meat,
and poultry, contain vitamins and are helpful in curing heart diseases, stroke, cataracts
b) Herbals: Nutraceuticals holds a great promise to improve health and prevent
chronic diseases with the help of herbals.
Some examples are willow bark (Salix nigra), having active component as salicin, which is anti-
inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, astringent and antiarthritic
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4. c) Phytochemicals: They are classified on the basis of chemical name given
according to their phytochemical properties.
For example, Carotenoids (Isoprenoids) found in various fruits, vegetables and egg yolk, are
anticarcinogenic, boost natural killer immune cells and protect cornea against UV light.
Legumes (chickpeas and soybeans), grains, palm oil contain non-carotenoids, which remove
cholesterol and are anti-carcinogenic.
Flavonoid polyphenolics are found in berries, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, which are potent
antioxidants, phytoestrogens, prevent breast cancer, prostate cancer and control diabetes.
II. Probiotic Microorganisms
• ‘Probiotics’ mean ‘for life’ and are defined as live microorganisms, which
when consumed in adequate amounts, confer a health effect on the host
• They are friendly bacteria that promote healthy digestion and absorption of
some nutrients. They act to crowd out pathogens, such as yeasts, other
bacteria and viruses that may otherwise cause disease and develop a
mutually advantageous symbiosis with the human gastrointestinal tract.
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5. • They have an antimicrobial effect through modifying the microflora,
preventing adhesion of pathogens to the intestinal epithelium, competing for
nutrients necessary for pathogen survival, producing an antitoxin effect and
reversing some of the consequences of infection on the intestinal epithelium,
such as secretory changes and neutrophil migration.
• Probiotics can cure lactose intolerance by the production of the specific
enzyme (ß-galactosidase) that can hydrolyze the offending lactose into its
component sugars
III. Nutraceutical Enzymes
• Enzymes are an essential part of life, without which our bodies would cease to
function. Those people who are suffering from medical conditions such as
hypoglycemia, blood sugar disorders, digestive problems and obesity, eliminate
the symptoms by enzyme supplements to their diet.
These enzymes are derived from microbial, plant and animal sources
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6. Non Traditional Nutraceuticals
Non-traditional nutraceuticals are artificial foods prepared with the help of
biotechnology. Food samples contain bioactive components which are
engineered to produce products for human- wellness.
a) Fortified nutraceuticals
• It constitutes fortified food from agricultural breeding or added nutrients
and/or ingredients. e.g. orange juice fortified with calcium, cereals with
added vitamins or minerals and flour with added folic acid. Some examples
are milk fortified with cholecalciferol used in vitamin D deficiency
• Prebiotic and probiotic fortified milk with Bifidobacterium lactis HN019
used in diarrhea, respiratory infections and severe illnesses, in children
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7. b) Recombinant nutraceuticals
• Energy-providing foods, such as bread, alcohol, fermented starch, yogurt, cheese,
vinegar, and others are produced with the help of biotechnology.
• The production of probiotics and the extraction of bioactive components by
enzyme/fermentation technologies as well as genetic engineering technology are
achieved through biotechnology
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8. Functional Foods
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Functional food can be defined as any food that exerts health properties beyond
the traditional nutrients it contains. If the functional food helps in the prevention of
a disease or its treatment it can be called ‘nutraceutical’.
Types of Functional foods
1. Foods that naturally contain biologically active, non-nutrient compounds known
as phytochemicals that provide health benefits. All plant foods are rich in
phytochemicals.
2. Food products specifically formulated to have higher amounts of nutrients or
phytochemicals than would naturally occur in that food. These are also called
“designer foods.”

9. Example:
1. Cereals and bread with added isoflavones.
2. Fruit juices with herbs that have alleged immune-enhancing properties, such
as Echinacea.
3. Margarine with added phytosterols, which help to reduce cholesterol.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Functional Foods
1. Some functional foods make it easier to meet requirements for nutrients that
are often deficient in the diets. The addition of calcium to orange juice and the
B-vitamin folate to enriched flour are examples.
2. Some functional foods make it possible to achieve higher intakes of nutrients
or phytochemicals than would be realistic with natural food sources of these
compounds.
3. Moderate amounts of manufactured functional foods can provide some
benefits to the diet and may help to reduce disease risk. However, they don’t
offer any benefits over well-planned diets based on whole grains, fruits, and
vegetables. Eating foods that are naturally rich in a wide array of
phytochemicals makes good nutrition sense, though. The best approach to
dietary planning is to use functional foods in moderation in addition to a
healthful diet.
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10. Dietary supplements
Dietary supplements are also called food supplements or nutritional supplements.
They are designed to provide nutrients that are missing in our daily diet.
• In different countries, dietary supplements are classified differently.
In some countries, they are categorized under foods whilst in some as drugs.
What are the examples of Dietary supplements?
• Dietary supplements also include non-medicinal herbal supplements and hormones like
pregnenolone and melatonin.
• Generally, a dietary supplement contains ingredients like vitamins, minerals, amino acids,
herbs, concentrate, metabolite, extract, or combinations. Dietary supplements are also used
to increase the performance of athletes and sports players.
• Food supplements are the best way to get our daily dose of vitamins and minerals especially
in children.
• Vegetarian diet often lacks vitamin B12, hence Vitamin B12 supplement is useful for the
vegetarians
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11. Medical foods as nutritional supplements
1. Medical foods are foods that are specially formulated and intended for the
dietary management of a disease that has distinctive nutritional needs that
cannot be met by normal diet alone.
2. They were defined in the Food and Drug Administration's 1988 Orphan Drug
Act Amendments and are subject to the general food and safety labelling
requirements of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act.
3. Medical foods can be classified into the following categories:
1. Nutritionally complete formulas;
2. Nutritionally incomplete formulas;
3. Formulas for metabolic disorders;
4. Oral rehydration products.
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