What are functional foods? How to use it properly and safely

Currently, we can see at most drugstores and drug business establishments there are many types of functional foods, they have many different uses such as improving health, resistance, ability to function. function of organs in the body or prevent diseases

So what exactly are functional foods? And how does it affect the health of the user? Let's find out with LKS 360 Exim in the article below

What are functional foods?

Functional food (also known as health food) is a type of food developed and processed by a manufacturer from natural herbs, plants or animals, in which These food ingredients contain substances that help to supplement and improve the functioning of organs in the body.

The reason it is called a functional food (or health food) is because these are all edible foods and do not cause any harm or noticeable side effects to the human body. , this is also the reason why manufacturers always clearly caption on the packaging of products the words: "This is not a drug and does not work to replace medicine" to avoid people using these types of products. This functional food misunderstands that the use of these foods can replace medicine.

(A drug or a pharmaceutical product is one or more different chemical compounds used for the treatment, treatment or prevention of a disease, the effects of which have been tested for very high safety when used in Medicines are often divided into doses or prescriptions so that users can easily use them according to the doctor's instructions.)

In addition to the functional foods classified into dosages that the Ministry of Health has prescribed with other names that are health-protective foods, these "special" foods can be manufactured into There are many different forms from tablets, medicinal nuggets, decocted medicinal herbs, extracts or even drinks to help people use them quickly and conveniently.

How to use functional foods?

Do not overuse functional foods

Although the use of functional foods contributes very positive benefits to human health and resistance to abuses, using more than indicated by the manufacturer can be effective. not as expected.

Furthermore, using less or more than the prescribed dose will result in "greasiness" with the ingredients in the product (for using more than the indicated dosage) or make the effects of the product worse. functional foods are not maximized (for the dose is less than the indicated level), making it more difficult to support treatment. Therefore, before you decide to buy any functional foods, you need to follow the instructions of the prescribing doctor or the manufacturer's instructions.

Combine functional foods with the right diet

In addition to using functional foods according to the manufacturer's instructions, combining them with a nutritious diet, in accordance with the compounds found in functional foods will not only bring maximum effectiveness. but also reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Because, in the composition of functional foods, it will be possible to combine with other compounds found in everyday foods to reduce symptoms as well as the risk of these diseases.

Do not arbitrarily combine the use of functional foods

These are habits that functional food users often encounter because they think that these products are not as difficult to use as drugs but are derived from natural herbs, so they often think "using It's okay to use multiple types together." This assumption is completely wrong and can lead to undesirable consequences.

Although a product that supports the treatment of diseases is very effective and safe to use, functional foods must not be used in combination without a prescription from a doctor or pharmacist. department.

This is explained as follows: In the composition of functional foods used to support the treatment of diseases, it is necessary to have ingredients with different specific medicinal properties to have an effective effect on each disease. Specifically

Arbitrary use of products with incompatible and homogenous ingredients will lead to reverse reactions creating new chemical active ingredients that make the product's effects undesirable or worse. lead to conditions such as: poisoning, side effects, harmful reactions to the body

Therefore, users need to consult a doctor, medical pharmacist for specific instructions on the use of a combination of functional foods together to achieve high efficiency in the treatment of various types of diseases. various diseases as well as ensure the health of users