Another term commonly used for functional foods-those that have health- promoting properties beyond basic nutritional functions-is nutraceuticals
. Other synonymous terms include superfoods, bioactive foods, health foods, therapeutic foods, medicinal foods, and performance foods
. Functional foods are defined as foods that provide additional health benefits beyond basic nutrition, often by containing added ingredients like vitamins, minerals, probiotics, or fiber, or by being naturally rich in bioactive compounds
. The term "nutraceutical" specifically refers to active ingredients isolated from foods and prepared in medicinal forms, but it is often used interchangeably with functional foods in common usage
. In summary, nutraceuticals is a widely accepted alternative term for functional foods.
