Terms You Should Know

Posted by Robin on April 24, 2010 at 18:41 pm

As you learn more about the health benefits of cherries and other foods, there undoubtedly will be new words that researchers use to describe their work. Listed below are a few of these words with definitions that have been assembled by the Family and Consumer Sciences Department at the Ohio State University.

Functional Food – Any food or food ingredient that may provide a health benefit beyond the traditional nutrients it contains.

Nutraceutical – Specific chemical compounds in food, including vitamins and additives that may aid in preventing disease.

Pharmafood – Food or nutrient that claims medical or health benefits, including the prevention and treatment of disease.

Phytochemical – Non-nutrient plant chemicals that contain protective, disease-preventing compounds.

Chemoprevention – Using one or several chemical compounds to prevent, stop, or reverse the development of cancer.

Designer Food – Processed foods that are supplemented with food ingredients naturally rich in disease-preventing substances.