Nutraceuticals or functional foods are foods that offer health benefits beyond their nutritional value. In addition to nutrient-rich ingredients like fruits and veggies, the category also includes foods fortified with vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and fiber.

Functional foods are generally separated into two categories: conventional and modified.

Conventional foods are natural, whole-food ingredients that are rich in important nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and heart-healthy fats.

Meanwhile, modified foods have been fortified with additional ingredients, such as vitamins, minerals, probiotics, or fiber, to increase a food’s health benefits.

Here are some examples of conventional functional foods:

• Fruits: berries, kiwi, pears, peaches, apples, oranges, bananas
• Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, zucchini
• Nuts: almonds, cashews, pistachios, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts
• Seeds: chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds
• Legumes: black beans, chickpeas, navy beans, lentils
• Whole grains: oats, barley, buckwheat, brown rice, couscous
• Seafood: salmon, sardines, anchovies, mackerel, cod
• Fermented foods: tempeh, kombucha, kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut
• Herbs and spices: turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper
• Beverages: coffee, green tea, black tea

Here are some examples of modified functional foods:

• fortified juices
• fortified dairy products, such as milk and yogurt
• fortified milk alternatives, such as almond, rice, coconut, and cashew milk
• fortified grains, such as bread and pasta
• fortified cereal and granola
• fortified eggs