The addition of health-promoting ingredients by food manufacturers is not a new practice: vitamin-fortified milk and high-fibre cereals are two products which have been quickly and readily accepted by the public. However, in recent years, the power of health claims has given rise to a new breed of products known as functional foods –sometimes referred to as ‘superfoods’.

According to the Dietitians Association of Australia, functional foods can be described as foods that confer health benefits to the consumer in addition to traditional nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Examples of functional foods may include probiotics, products containing phytochemicals, cereals or breads with ‘invisible fibre’ and margarines containing plant sterols for the management of high cholesterol.

According to an American report published last year, functional beverages, such as vitamin-enhanced water, energy drinks and folate-enriched juices, are the fastest growing segment of the functional foods category. Recognition of the health promoting qualities of organic foods has also seen a rapid growth in the sector, with the Australian organics tipped to generate $475 million in farming revenue this year. Meanwhile the wholefoods market has seen an unprecedented demand for products such as quinoa, goji berries and antioxident-rich foods such as blueberries.

However, while advocates for functional foods are quick to argue in favour of their abilities to promote health, and potentially prevent disease, others are more skeptical of the claims, suggesting they may be more about marketing hype than true science. Consumer group CHOICE does not support the use of health claims on food labels, as they believe that they assist food manufacturers to market their products according to a health benefit, potentially misleading the public into believing that they are a substitute for a healthy, balanced diet of fresh foods.

In Australia, health claims included on any individual product labels are regulated by the statutory agency Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Under the FSANZ framework, health claims are categorised as either ‘general level’ or ‘high level’ health claims. General level health claims allow for statements to be made about the contribution of a certain food to general wellbeing, in the context of a balanced, health diet. For example, ‘Calcium is good for strong bones and teeth, when consumed as part of a healthy diet’.

High level health claims involve statements referencing a particular serious disease or condition, such as cancer, heart disease or osteoporosis. These claims are far more specific, and require enormous scientific substantiation to ensure that they are both valid, and not misleading to consumers.

Associate Professor Peter Williams of the University of Wollongong School of Health Sciences has worked in the field of functional food research for a number of years, and authored a paper in 2008 looking into Australian consumer attitudes to health claims. During an interview in 2008, he said that little was known about how consumers use health claims, and whether they are valuable in determining consumer behaviours.

“What we do know, is that while consumers find that health claims on packaging are useful, they are also skeptical of manufacturers’ claims and believe that health claims should be regulated by the government. Many consumers already know that certain foods are good for them, but they like having that additional information that health claim labelling might offer. But in a market where health claims are traditionally associated with processed foods, consumers are also wary of how much they can believe,” he said.

However, he also warned that claims associated with any specific, individual whole foods – regardless of the scientific data to substantiate it – may have limited benefits to consumers in the context of a whole diet.

“High level health claims are inherently difficult for whole foods. Studies are hard to do, as they would require people to add large amounts of specific foods to their diet in order to change the balance. Realistically, this approach is very unlikely to achieve levels of active ingredient that will offer therapeutic effects.”

So, can functional foods harm consumers? Probably not, if taken in reasonable amounts as part of an overall balanced diet. Can functional foods help consumers? Health claims are generally based in good science, but manufacturers are not doctors—and the government does not regulate ingredients, only marketing messages.

Consumers should educate themselves on the science behind functional food claims, and they should always read ingredients lists. Fibre-enhanced sugar-laden cookies are technically functional foods, as are caffeine-packed drinks with high concentrations of B vitamins. Enhancing already healthy foods such as yogurt or milk with probiotics is positive as long as other ingredients (like sugar and empty starches) stay out.

So, while some functional foods may provide consumers with healthier choices, nothing will substitute a healthy, balanced diet combined with adequate exercise for an overall healthy lifestyle.

The health science behind some functional foods

Humans have studied the health effects of botanicals and foods for thousands of years, but more recently have approached hundreds of different food components with scientific rationale. Probiotics and dietary fibre are among the most researched.

Probiotics are good bacteria strains that improve intestinal health, and are commonly added to dairy products such as yogurt and milk. A review of probiotics research published in an American medical journal in the September 2010 noted that more than 5,000 scientific articles about probiotics have been published in the past decade.

Commercially available probiotics strains have gone through some clinical trials, however many unknown factors come into play. Dosages vary, optimal treatment times are impossible to predict, and the age and general health of the subject affect probiotics in little-understood ways. That said, scientists—and now food manufacturers—agree that probiotics have specific health benefits, and anecdotal evidence celebrates their effects.

Dietary fibre (both soluble and insoluble) has been studied extensively in relation to immunity, intestinal health, heart health, cancer, diabetes, and even as a solution for obesity. A review of dietary fibre research in the May, 2010 issue of Nutricion Hospitalaria noted that increasing whole grain intake has positive effects on overall health but studies are mixed on the effectiveness of isolated fibre—removing dietary fiber from the plant and adding it to other products.

Manufacturers creating functional foods with added fibre offer consumers a good way to increase overall fibre intake. But, as with any functional food, it is not the isolated enhancement that produces positive effects; the functional food must be taken into the context of a generally healthy diet because nutrients work synergistically.