Future Prospects for Functional Foods

摘要: A new definition of nutrition has begun to take shape within the past decade. This goes beyond traditional role foods and in health promotion disease prevention. It was only a few decades ago that Atwater completed his classic studies determine calorie content differentiate energy macronutrients protein, carbohydrate, fat (Davidson et a1. 1975). Organic chemistry gave rise view food is made up complex array organic molecules, all somehow contributing composition, nutritional value, hedonistic qualities our diet. At start twentieth century, chemists isolated trace constituents found they contained small molecules had amino groups could prevent treat disease. These substances were called life-giving amines, or vitamins. Following discovery vitamins through K came nutrients be used many diseases deficiency scurvy, beriberi, pellagra, xerophthalmia, rickets. From 1930s 1970s, however, research indicated for individuals consuming standard Western diet it would very hard produce clinical with regard these various nutrients. The determination not other than nutrient-deficiency resulted significant loss interest medical school education. As consequence, 1970s no U.S. required course its curriculum.