Nutraceuticals have a vital role in human health. The word “Nutraceutical” is the hybrid of ‘nutrition’ and ‘pharmaceutical’.“Nutraceutical” is a part of food playing a significant role in modifying and maintaining normal physiological functions which maintain the human health. These nutraceuticals obtained from the nature and play a quite significant role in human healthcare system throughout the world. Nutraceuticals contain health-promoting ingredients or natural components that have a vital role in human health.
Concept of Nutraceutical
According to Stephen De Felice,“ Nutraceuticals” (nutrition and pharmaceutical) may be defined as, “a food or a part of food that provides medical or health benefits. It may also be defined as a product prepared from foods, but comes in market in the form of pills, powder or in other medicinal forms”. Nutraceuticals are found in a pattern of products emerging from:-
The food industry
The herbal and dietary supplement market
Pharmaceutical industry
The newly merged pharmaceutical/agribusiness/nutrition conglomerates.
Need of nutraceuticals
In recent years, nutraceuticals, are developed gradually which plays more social importance on the positive aspects of diet. In today’s era, people have changed their basic food habits, they increase consumption of the junk foods and are suffering from a number of diseases due to improper nutrition. To avoid this type of junk food and to overcome from these diseases, the consumers seeking for complementary or alternative beneficial products to managed the health. Nutraceuticals means “Let food be the medicine and medicine be the food”
Nutraceutical categories
The food sources used as nutraceuticals are all natural and can be categorized as
Dietary Fibre
Probiotics
Prebiotics
Polyunsaturated fatty acids
Antioxidant vitamins
Polyphenols
Spices
Market interest of nutraceuticals
The nutraceutical market is becoming more competitive with the entry of pharmaceutical and major food companies into the nutraceutical section. Also, many food companies have established their nutraceutical divisions with a view toward a diversified product line. Pharmaceutical companies have also joined the race by acquiring dietary supplement producers. In recent years several food and pharmaceutical companies have entered into the nutraceutical market due to its high progressive demand.
Current & future developments
These nutraceuticals are becoming more popular day by day because of their beneficial effects. Although nutraceuticals have significant role in promotion of human health and disease prevention. The health professionals and toxicologists are strategically working together to plan appropriate regulations in nutraceuticals, which also provide the ultimate therapeutic benefits to mankind.
Compiled by:- Kehar Singh
(Assistant professor, AIP Palwal)
