Here’s why we say it’s a buzzword (or buzz phrase, anyhow!) with a long history: it sounds like the following saying: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” And that’s what Hippocrates—a Greek physician of renown—was saying nearly 2,500 years ago!
In one sense, all foods are functional because if they’re edible, there is some nutritional value. But that’s not how the term is being used today.
The Mayo Clinic describes two functional food definitions:
- This food goes beyond providing basic nutrition because of what it contains. For example, oatmeal is considered a functional food because its soluble fiber can help lower cholesterol—a benefit beyond this food’s sheer nutritional value.
- Food was fortified to enhance its health benefits. Orange juice, for example, has been calcium-fortified for better bone health.
Creation of the Term: Functional Foods
This term was first used in Japan in the 1980s, and it “refers to processed foods containing ingredients that aid specific bodily functions in addition to being nutritious.” In the United States, meanwhile, the Mayo Clinic notes that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates what manufacturers can say about the nutrient content of functional foods and their impact on health. Unlike in Japan, the U.S. government does not provide a functional definition of food.
Functional Food Trends
An article from a few years ago in Food Technology Magazine noted several trends, and we’ll highlight two of them here.
Real Food Nutrition
One is that 88 percent of shoppers believe getting nutrition from foods naturally rich in vitamins and minerals is important. Meanwhile, one-third of the people surveyed strongly focused on eating foods and drinking naturally nutrient-rich drinks.
Ninety percent agreed that processed foods are not as healthy as fresh ones. Their top goals were to eat more vegetables and fruits and limit the amount of processed foods they consumed.
Plant-Based Diets
This was another key trend, and we’re happy to say that since this article was published in Food Technology Magazine in 2012, it has only strengthened. In a December 2019 article in USA Today, for example, they noted that food trends for 2020 include that “plant-based continues to sprout.”
The article noted that the popularity of plants in people’s diets goes “beyond vegetarian and vegan diets,” including people adding more fruits and vegetables to their meals for health reasons and for “taste curiosity.”
A food expert notes that in the past, people used to need to sneak veggies into meals for their kids. “Now,” she notes, “it’s for everyone.”
They also believe people will “continue to ask food makers about the sustainability of ingredients.” Here’s some information about how, at The Chef’s Garden, we use regenerative farming techniques to go beyond sustainable farming.
Food Technology Magazine published another article about the functional food trend in 2018. In it, they said, “Health and wellness continue to drive growth in the global food and beverage industry. Worldwide sales of naturally healthy foods reached $253 billion in 2017; functional/fortified foods totaled $247 billion.”
Consumers were now drinking more water and eating more fruits and veggies, with people wanting to avoid artificial additives more than ever before. And now that Millennials are having their own children, this momentum is expected to continue.
Related Concepts
The definition of functional food is closely related to the idea of food as medicine. At Roots 2018, we had an entire session on healing yourself, one bite at a time. In our coverage of that event, we also listed additional related sayings:
- “He that takes medicine and neglects diet wastes the physician’s skills.” Traditional Chinese proverb (no date known)
- “No disease that can be treated by diet should be treated with any other means.” Maimonides (1135-1204)
- “Each patient carries his own doctor inside him.” Norman Cousins, Anatomy of an Illness, published in 1979
If you’d like more information about that panel discussion, you can find it here:
Here are more perspectives about food as medicine from around the web.
- “What you choose to eat has profound effects on your overall health. Research shows that dietary habits influence disease risk. While certain foods may trigger chronic health conditions, others offer strong medicinal and protective qualities.” (Can Food Act as Medicine? All You Need to Know at Healthline.com)
- “The food-as-medicine movement has been around for decades, but it’s making inroads as physicians and medical institutions make food a formal part of treatment rather than relying solely on medications. By prescribing nutritional changes or launching programs such as “Shop with Your Doc,” they’re trying to prevent, limit, or even reverse disease by changing what patients eat.” (Food As Medicine: It’s Not Just A Fringe Idea Anymore at NPR.org)
Here is a prediction from Thomas Edison, the creative genius born in Milan, Ohio (very close to the farm and the location of the Culinary Vegetable Institute). “The doctor of the future will give no medication but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.”
The beauty of the food as medicine movement is that your medicine can taste flavorfully delicious—as it does with the crops we grow.
Health Benefits of Vegetables
Although we haven’t been using the term “functional foods” to describe the farm-fresh vegetables that we regeneratively farm at The Chef’s Garden, we have been sharing information about the health benefits of vegetables. Here are just a few examples from posts from 2019.
Health Benefits of Carrots
In our post about carrots, we quoted a scientist from Tufts University who pointed out how “Carrots are so much a part of our diet that their health benefits may have been overlooked.”
This is true, at least in significant part, because of this vegetable’s carotenoids. Carotenoids are pigments that help keep plants healthy, absorbing the light energy they need through photosynthesis.
We encourage you to read the entire post, which shares information about carrots’ health benefits. Here’s a sneak preview: MedicalNewsToday.com says that carrots are, in fact, the “ultimate health food.”
Plus, this delicious root vegetable is exceptionally versatile. You can even use carrot tops in your recipes—such as this delicious puree—and even to add nutrition to your creative desserts.
Health Benefits of Farm-Fresh Greens
Near the beginning of this post, we shared a quote from Hippocrates: “Let food by thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
We wholeheartedly agree, and we started our post on the health benefits of greens with a series of three short sayings—and we approve of each of them, as well:
- You are what you eat.
- You can pay the farmer—or pay the doctor.
- Eat your greens.
In our post, we shared the results of a study published in Neurology in January 2018. The conclusion was that if you eat half a cup of leafy cooked green vegetables or a cup of raw ones, this is connected to a slower decline in brain function. Here’s a quote from the Tufts Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging that conducted the study: “Lovers of leafy greens were the equivalent of 11 years younger than those who shunned the stuff.”
Here is a variety of farm-fresh greens to choose from.
Health Benefits of Cauliflower
Live Science says that cauliflower is “very versatile and vitamin-rich,” specifically noting the health benefits of its antioxidants, which may help to prevent diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. In 2018, the Mayo Clinic chose cauliflower as their nutritional superstar of the year.
As we noted in our post about the health benefits of cauliflower, this cruciferous vegetable is part of an elite list of 25 fruits and vegetables that made the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI) because of its powerhouse nutrients.
Here’s what Nation’s Restaurant News has to say: “Cauliflower and zucchini—two overlooked vegetables—have become the darlings of the dinner table.” How? By serving as “veggie doppelgangers for grainy rice and carbo-loaded pasta.” They described riced cauliflower as being a diner favorite.
Here’s our take on veggie carbs replacing traditional ones, and here are the varieties of cauliflower we’re growing on the farm.
Health Benefits of Beets
Then there are the amazing health benefits of beets! The beautiful beet is considered one of the world’s healthiest vegetables, at least in part because it’s a unique source of betalains. These plant substances are believed to aid in good health and prevent disease. Beets naturally remove toxins from your body, including your liver, while providing anti-inflammatory benefits, health-boosting antioxidants, and more.
Consumer Reports calls beets a “vibrant” root vegetable, offering advice that’s close to our hearts: Don’t Toss the Tops!
The article says, “When you buy fresh beets, you’re essentially getting two vegetables in one. Those leafy green tops (which many people chop off and throw away) are also incredibly tasty and nutritious.”
Farmacy at The Chef’s Garden
So, as you can see from just four blog post examples shared above, although we haven’t been using the term “functional foods,” we’ve been sharing information about the underlying concept for a long time now.
A term we have been using for years now is Farmacy. Here’s more about that.
At The Chef’s Garden, you never have to choose between foods bursting with sweetness and flavor and those that are very good for your health. Our fresh vegetables and herbs, microgreens, and more are flavorful, visually appealing, and nutritious. Healthy eating can be a treat for the palate and on the plate. Why? We start with healthy soil and plant our crops in harmony with nature. As they take in the sun’s vibrant rays, they are chock full of vitamins and minerals. Healthy soil = healthy plants = healthy food for people. And, here’s one more equation: farmacy = you can have it all!
| Anti Aging Box | Detox Box | Optimal Health Box |
The Chef’s Garden brings you boxes of flavorful, farm-fresh vegetables chock full of nutrition. Because we farm in harmony with Mother Nature, specifics of what’s in a box will vary by season, but you can always count on receiving the best of the day’s harvest. The detoxification box, for example, will include delicious choices that improve digestion while supporting liver, gallbladder, and bowel health—while the anti-aging box will include selections that help reduce inflammation in your body while promoting skin integrity. A box with fresh vegetables is also chosen to support optimal health for you and your family.
We invite you to also check what farm-fresh produce is currently available. The Chef’s Garden offers a variety of products harvested at the peak of freshness. Our products are seasonally grown and every year is different.
If you’ve already been selecting your farm-fresh vegetables, microgreens, herbs, and edible flowers from The Chef’s Garden, we encourage you to contact your product specialist to find out what is at the ideal peak of freshness right now.
If you’re new to The Chef’s Garden, welcome! We’re honored to have the opportunity to become your personal farmer. You can find out first steps to take here.