Nutraceutical is a portmanteau of "nutritional" and "pharmaceutical" and refers to foods thought to have a beneficial effect on human health. It can also refer to indvidual chemicals which are present in common foods (and therefore may be delivered in a non-drug form). Many such nutraceuticals are phytonutrients.

Dr. Stephen DeFelice coined the term in 1989. The term has no regulatory definition, but it is commonly used in marketing. It is certainly not a new concept. Chinese medicine would be one example. Another would be Hippocrates who is quoted as saying, "Let your food be your medicine and let your medicine be your food." Nutraceuticals are often used in nutrient premixes or nutrient systems in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Nutraceuticals are sometimes called functional foods.

See also

• Health claims on food labels
• Dietary supplements

External links

• American Nutraceutical Association
• Discuissions on nutraceuticals and novel foods
• Natural and Nutritional Products Industry Center
• Heartspring
• Google
• Ask
• Yahoo
• Dogpile
• Answers
• Del.Icio.Us
• Connotea
• MSN
• National Nutritional Foods Association
• US FDA/CFSAN - Dietary Supplements

Portmanteaus | Food science | Marketing

Nutracêutica