Form Of Functional Foods Research Articles

Tracing the pathways and mechanisms involved in medicinal uses of flaxseed with computational methods and bioinformatics tools.

Pharmacological drugs targeting specific pathways involved in various diseases have seen recent advancement with newer and more efficient emerging drug targets, but these drugs are limited in terms of their side effects and patient adherence. The potential of plant-based diets in the form of functional foods is increasingly being realized as an option to treat and/or prevent several diseases. In this work, we have selected flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum), also known as linseed, to study its pharmacological efficacy and proposed mechanisms of action for medicinal purposes. The target genes of linseed with Disease Specificity Index (DSI >0.6) are compared to the associated genes of diabetes mellitus, decrease in appetite, addictive behavior, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), and the selected genes are further evaluated using in silico methods. The binding affinity of flaxseed to three common target proteins (CCDC28b, PDCD6IP, and USP34) is assessed by docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results show that linseed is safe to use for mutagenic toxicity and other cardiotoxicity measures, but linseed is unsafe for embryotoxicity, hERG toxicity, and cardiac failure. The analysis of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways indicates that flaxseed can be used as a medicinal herb for treatment of diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, IBDs, and PCOS.

CAN AN EYE BENEFIT FROM AN EGG? ADDITION OF LUTEIN IN FUNCTIONAL FOOD PRODUCTS AFFECTS THE MACULA LUTEA OF YOUNG HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS

Objectives: Lutein is a carotenoid and one of the primary pigments with antioxidative effects found in the macula lutea of an eye. The present study aimed to determine the effects of lutein consumption in the form of functional food (hen eggs enriched with n-3 PUFAs, selenium, vitamin D and lutein) on macula lutea morphology by using an optical coherence tomography (OCT) in young healthy subjects.
 Participants and Methods: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study included eleven healthy young subjects of both sexes (average age 18 to 28 years), assigned to a Nutri4 group and a control group. The Nutri4 group consumed nutritionally enriched hen eggs, while the control group consumed regular ones during the three-week protocol. At the beginning and end of the protocol, the subjects underwent ophthalmological examinations of the posterior eye segment by OCT. Venous blood was sampled to determine biochemical blood parameters (serum concentration of nutrients, liver enzymes, serum lipid profile, inflammatory markers).
 Results: Consumption of Nutri4 eggs led to a significant increase in n-3 PUFAs, lutein and vitamin E concentrations in serum. The average macular thickness (lower outer layer of the macula) was increased in the Nutri4 group, while no significant change was found in the retinal thickness of the control group after the dietary protocol. Urea was raised, and gamma-glutamyl aminotransferase significantly decreased in the Nutri4 group, while aspartate aminotransferase was increased in the control group after the corresponding dietary protocol.
 Conclusions: The consumption of enriched hen eggs has a beneficial effect on the thickness and volume of the retina.

PENGEMBANGAN BIOFARMAKA MENJADI PRODUK OLAHAN, PENGEMASAN SERTA STRATEGI PEMASARANNYA

The mindset of the people during the coronavirus pandemic began to change, especially in terms of the consumption of food ingredients that can increase immunity, also called functional food ingredients. Biopharmaceutical commodities are resources that can be used and utilized to make processed products in the form of functional food. This is supported by the existence of human resources and the use of simple technology in society. Biopharmaceuticals are all natural resources (plants, animals, microbes) that have functions and properties for health or as medicine. Some of the functions of biopharmaceuticals include preventive (disease prevention); promotive (improving health status); curative (healing disease); improvement of nutritional status. To increase public knowledge about biopharmaceuticals as well as community empowerment efforts in the use of biopharmaceuticals, the Community Empowerment Program (Prodamat) was carried out. This activity was carried out online with a zoom platform which was attended by 21 participants. Participants who took part in the activity came from Magelang, Central Java, and Palasa, Central Sulawesi. At the end of the activity, an evaluation of the participants' knowledge was carried out by filling out a questionnaire on Google Forms. The level of understanding of participants about biopharmaceuticals prior to counseling was an average of 48.02%. After the counseling was carried out, the average level of understanding of the participants was 80.11%. Then the participants' understanding increased by 32.09%. Meanwhile, the level of satisfaction of the participants with the implementation of Prodamat resulted in 7.5% being satisfied, 12.5% ​​being quite satisfied, and 77.5% being very satisfied.

A Comprehensive Review on Therapeutic Perspectives of Phytosterols in Insulin Resistance: A Mechanistic Approach.

Natural products in the form of functional foods have become increasingly popular due to their protective effects against life-threatening diseases, low risk of adverse effects, affordability, and accessibility. Plant components such as phytosterol, in particular, have drawn a lot of press recently due to a link between their consumption and a modest incidence of global problems, such as Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cancer, and cardiovascular disease. In the management of diet-related metabolic diseases, such as T2DM and cardiovascular disorders, these plant-based functional foods and nutritional supplements have unquestionably led the market in terms of cost-effectiveness, therapeutic efficacy, and safety. Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder categoriszed by high blood sugar and insulin resistance, which influence major metabolic organs, such as the liver, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle. These chronic hyperglycemia fallouts result in decreased glucose consumption by body cells, increased fat mobilisation from fat storage cells, and protein depletion in human tissues, keeping the tissues in a state of crisis. In addition, functional foods such as phytosterols improve the body’s healing process from these crises by promoting a proper physiological metabolism and cellular activities. They are plant-derived steroid molecules having structure and function similar to cholesterol, which is found in vegetables, grains, nuts, olive oil, wood pulp, legumes, cereals, and leaves, and are abundant in nature, along with phytosterol derivatives. The most copious phytosterols seen in the human diet are sitosterol, stigmasterol, and campesterol, which can be found in free form, as fatty acid/cinnamic acid esters or as glycosides processed by pancreatic enzymes. Accumulating evidence reveals that phytosterols and diets enriched with them can control glucose and lipid metabolism, as well as insulin resistance. Despite this, few studies on the advantages of sterol control in diabetes care have been published. As a basis, the primary objective of this review is to convey extensive updated information on the possibility of managing diabetes and associated complications with sterol-rich foods in molecular aspects.

Carnosine, Small but Mighty-Prospect of Use as Functional Ingredient for Functional Food Formulation.

Carnosine is a dipeptide synthesized in the body from β-alanine and L-histidine. It is found in high concentrations in the brain, muscle, and gastrointestinal tissues of humans and is present in all vertebrates. Carnosine has a number of beneficial antioxidant properties. For example, carnosine scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as alpha-beta unsaturated aldehydes created by peroxidation of fatty acid cell membranes during oxidative stress. Carnosine can oppose glycation, and it can chelate divalent metal ions. Carnosine alleviates diabetic nephropathy by protecting podocyte and mesangial cells, and can slow down aging. Its component, the amino acid beta-alanine, is particularly interesting as a dietary supplement for athletes because it increases muscle carnosine, and improves effectiveness of exercise and stimulation and contraction in muscles. Carnosine is widely used among athletes in the form of supplements, but rarely in the population of cardiovascular or diabetic patients. Much less is known, if any, about its potential use in enriched food. In the present review, we aimed to provide recent knowledge on carnosine properties and distribution, its metabolism (synthesis and degradation), and analytical methods for carnosine determination, since one of the difficulties is the measurement of carnosine concentration in human samples. Furthermore, the potential mechanisms of carnosine’s biological effects in musculature, metabolism and on immunomodulation are discussed. Finally, this review provides a section on carnosine supplementation in the form of functional food and potential health benefits and up to the present, neglected clinical use of carnosine.

Characterization of phenolic compound antioxidant activity in oat varieties using UHPLC–online ABTS and LC Q‐TOF

AbstractBackground and objectivesPhenolic compounds present in oats provide an opportunity for oats to increase its use in the form of functional food. In this study, eight varieties of Australian‐grown whole‐grain oat were investigated for their phenolic composition and antioxidant potential. Ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography–online 2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid), coupled with liquid chromatography quadrupole time‐of‐flight, was used to identify and quantify individual phenolic compounds and their respective antioxidant activity.FindingsConsiderable variation in phenolic content (19.51 ± 1.20–52.49 ± 1.70 mg 100 g−1 GAE) and antioxidant activity was observed among the oat varieties. Several avenanthramides (AVNs) were detected with AVN A and AVN C being the most abundant. AVN C exhibited the highest antioxidant activity followed by caffeic acid, quercetin‐3,4′‐O‐di‐beta‐glucopyranoside derivative, and 6‐hydroxykaempferol 3,5,7,4′‐tetramethyl ether 6‐rhamnoside. Antioxidant activity in AVNs was observed to be the highest in AVN C followed by AVN B and AVN A.ConclusionsHigh levels of AVN C and the range of phenolic compounds present show promise of Australian‐grown oats as an important source of antioxidant compounds. These antioxidant compounds may contribute to consumers' health benefits.Significance and noveltyThis study contributes to the use of oats as potential functional food by characterizing its individual phenolic compounds and their antioxidant activity.

Methyl protodioscin from Polygonatum sibiricum inhibits cervical cancer through cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction

Methyl protodioscin (MPD) is a steroid saponin which has been well known for its pharmacological properties. Herein, we evaluated the anti-cancer activity of MPD for proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction in Hela cells. MPD was purified from the rhizoma of Polygonatum sibiricum primarily and identified by HPLC, UPLC-TOF-MS/MS and NMR analysis, respectively. Results showed that MPD repressed cell proliferation at IC50 of 18.49 μM, altered cell morphology, arrested the cell cycle in G2/M phase, facilitated the generation of intracellular ROS and led to cell apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, MPD treatment promoted death receptor pathway and mitochondrial pathway efficiently. The inhibition of Caspase-8 and Caspase-9 proteins in these pathways abolished the apoptosis significantly, further demonstrated the mechanism of MPD-induced apoptosis. These findings offer novel information that MPD may be considered as a possible natural anti-cancerous agent in the form of functional foods or medicinal products.

Encapsulation of Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum G7 in gastroprotective microgels: Improvement of the bacterial viability under simulated gastrointestinal conditions

The oral delivery of probiotics to the colon is often challenging because probiotics tend to lose viability when exposed to the harsh conditions in the upper gastrointestinal tract, such as the highly acidic gastric fluids. Properly designed encapsulation technologies can be used to protect probiotics during their transit through the human gut. In this study, an anaerobic probiotic (Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum G7 or BPG7) was encapsulated within alginate microgels that also contained antacid agents to control their internal pH within the stomach. Probiotic-loaded microgels were exposed to a simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) model to establish the impact of gastric and small intestinal conditions on their physicochemical properties and cell viability. In the absence of antacids, no live probiotic cells were detected in the microgels after exposure to gastrointestinal conditions. Conversely, in the presence of antacids, there was only a 1.5 log CFU decrease in cell viability after incubation in simulated gastric fluids for 2 h. Subsequently, after the antacid microgels were incubated in simulated intestinal fluids, considerable amount of viable probiotic cells were still detected when CaCO3 was used as an antacid but not when Mg(OH)2 was used. Overall, these results indicated that alginate microgels containing CaCO3 as an antacid were efficient at protecting the probiotic during passage through the upper GIT. This novel encapsulation technology utilizing all food grade materials may be useful for the oral delivery of probiotics to the gut in the form of functional foods or supplements.

Effects of Ganoderma lucidum and ‘Essence of Chicken’ on Physical Fatigue Recovery and Exercise Performance Improvement.

A fast-paced lifestyle, pressure from the environment and a heavy work load often cause extreme tiredness in modern life. Different kinds of nutritional supplements in the form of functional foods or traditional Chinese medicine, such as ‘essence of chicken’ and Ganoderma lucidum have been claimed to benefit physical performance and promote health. Previous studies have revealed that ‘essence of chicken’ or G. lucidum have a wide spectrum of biological activities. In this study, we combined these two ingredients together (designated as CEG) to evaluate their synergistic effects on physiological adaption on exercise fatigue and physical activities. The ICR strain mice were allocated as 0, 833, 1666, and 4165 mg/kg dose groups and administrated by oral gavage consecutively for 4 weeks. Physical activities including grip strength and aerobic endurance were evaluated. Various fatigue-associated biochemical variables such as lactate, BUN or CK were also evaluated. The levels of liver and muscle glycogen were measured as an indicator of energy storage at the end of the experiment. Safety assessments for supplementation were also evaluated. CEG supplementation significantly increased the endurance and grip strength and demonstrated beneficial effects on lactate production and clearance rate after an acute exercise challenge. The CEG supplementation significantly mitigated the BUN and CK indexes after extended exercise and elevated the glycogen content in the liver and muscle tissues. According to body composition, biochemical and histopathological data, daily administration of CEG for over 28 days (subacute toxicity) also demonstrated reasonable safety results for supplementation. Combined G. lucidum and ‘essence of chicken’ can significantly increase the exercise performance and improve fatigue recovery. It may also provide a viable alternative nutritional supplement for health promotion.

Exploring the influence of culture conditions on kefir's anticancer properties

Cancer is a major health problem in many parts of the world. Conventional anticancer treatments are painful, expensive, and unsafe. Therefore, demand is increasing for cancer treatments preferentially in the form of functional foods or nutritional supplements. Kefir, a traditional fermented milk dairy product, has significant antimutagenic and antitumor properties. This research addresses the hypothesis that kefir's anticancer properties are affected by fermentation conditions. Initially, kefir extracts prepared under standard conditions were screened against 7 cancer cell lines using the tetrazolium dye 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide colorimetric assay. Colon cancer and chronic myelogenous leukemia cells were found to be most susceptible to kefir extracts. Subsequently, a factorial design was implemented to assess the effects of 3 fermentation times (24, 48, and 72 h), 3 kefir-to-milk ratios (2, 5, and 10% wt/vol), and 3 fermentation temperatures (4, 25, and 40°C) on kefir's anticancer properties. Remarkably, exploration of the fermentation conditions allowed the anticancer properties of kefir to be enhanced by 5- to 8-fold against susceptible cell lines. Overall, these results demonstrate the possibility of optimizing the anticancer properties of kefir as a functional food in cancer therapy.

Going Natural: Using polymers from nature for gastroresistant applications

Nutraceuticals provide an additional health or medicinal benefit besides their nutritional value and are therefore marketed for the prevention and treatment of certain conditions. Nutraceuticals contain natural ingredients, usually presented in the form of functional foods or as dietary supplements. Many of the ingredients are susceptible to degradation by gastric acid or can provoke nauseatic feelings or induce vomiting on oral administration. Gastroresistant coatings, widely researched and used in pharmaceuticals, employ enteric polymers which are not regarded as natural ingredients or do not possess GRAS (generally regarded as safe) status by the regulatory bodies, thus cannot be used for nutraceutical products. Consequently, most nutraceuticals are not formulated as gastroresistant and can therefore lack efficacy or are well tolerated. This manuscript provides a critical review of natural substances employed in producing gastroresistant products, their shortcomings, and potential industrial applications. It also identifies current gaps in our knowledge to encourage further research in this area.

BIOAKTIVITAS EKSTRAK METANOL DAUN NAMNAM SERTA KOMBINASINYA DENGAN MADU TRIGONA

Namnam (Cynometra cauliflora L ) and trigona honey are two natural ingredients that are potential to be developed in Indonesia. However, scientific evidence of its active compounds and bioactivity is still rarely found, particularly the combination of these two materials. Therefore , this research is to explore their active ingredients of combination of these two materials such as total phenolic, flavonoids, vitamin C and β-carotene and bioactive capabilities such as antioxidant activity and antibacterial activity. The analysis showed that antibacterial activity of methanol extract of Nam n am leaves (EMDN) and trigona honey either in their sole form or combined form has antioxidant and antibacterial activity. The EMDN was more sensitive to Staphylococcus aureus (23.7±3.3 mm) than to Escherichia coli, while the Trigona honey (MT) more sensitive to Escherichia coli (32.6 ± 4.4 mm) than Staphylococcus aureus (16.6±4.1 mm). Similarly, the combination of EMDN and MT was more sensitive to Escherichia coli (23±1.9 mm) than Staphylococcus aureus (17.6±2.6 mm). Analysis of the antioxidant activity also showed that EMDN provided the highest activity (IC 50 0.0048±0.000 mg/mL), a combination EMDN and MT (IC 50 0.0085±0.000 mg/mL) and MT (IC 50 3.736±0.112 mg/mL). Moreover, this analysis also showed thatsole samples of MT and EMDN have total phenolic content, flavonoids, and vitamin C that were higher than the combination of MT and EMDN. However, the content of β-carotene in the combined form of MT and EMDN was higher. Thus trigona honey , methanol extract of leaves Nam n am (Cynometra cauliflora L ) in a single form or in a combination are potential to be utilized and developed as a source of antioxidants and antibacterial in the form of functional food.

Probiotics for the Prevention and Treatment of Allergies, with an Emphasis on Mode of Delivery and Mechanism of Action

Allergy, also termed type I hypersensitivity, is defined as a "disease following a response by the immune system to an otherwise innocuous antigen". The prevalence of allergies is high and escalating, with almost half the populations of North America and Europe having allergies to one or more common environmental antigens. Although rarely life-threatening allergies cause much distress and pose an important economic burden. Recent studies demonstrate the importance of the commensal bacteria of the gastrointestinal tract, termed the microbiota, in stimulating and modulating the immune system. This goes hand-in-hand with the hygiene hypothesis, proposed by Strachan in 1989. With this in mind, the use of pre- and probiotics has gained interest to prevent and treat allergies through modulation of the gut microbiota and the immune system. Probiotics, namely Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, are live microorganisms that can be incorporated in the diet in the form of functional foods or dietary supplements to beneficially influence the host. In recent studies, probiotic formulations demonstrated the capability to successfully modulate allergic rhinitis, atopic disorders and food-related allergies. A number of probiotic mechanisms of action are involved in controlling hypersensitivity responses, many of which are still not yet understood. Microencapsulation has gained importance as a device for the oral delivery of probiotic cells and may play an important role in the development of a successful probiotic formulation to treat and prevent allergies. Despite the promising research on probiotic biotherapeutics, further investigations are required to develop a successful therapeutic to treat and prevent allergies.

Evidence for Anti-Cancer Properties of Blueberries: A Mini-Review

Blueberries are amongst the most commonly consumed berries in the United States. Berries in general are rich in phenolic compounds, which are known for their high antioxidant capacity. Specifically, evidence from in vitro, in vivo and a few clinical studies suggest that blueberries and their active constituents show promise as effective anti-cancer agents, both in the form of functional foods and as nutritional supplements. Some of the mechanisms by which blueberries have been shown to prevent carcinogenesis include inhibition of the production of pro-inflammatory molecules, oxidative stress and products of oxidative stress such as DNA damage, inhibition of cancer cell proliferation and increased apoptosis. This review will focus on the preclinical and clinical evidence that supports blueberries as an anti-cancer fruit, as well as expressing the need for more preclinical studies and the conduction of clinical studies with respect to the cancer preventive ability of blueberries.

Identification of Bioactive Candidate Compounds Responsible for Oxidative Challenge from Hydro‐Ethanolic Extract of Moringa oleifera Leaves

Free radicals trigger chain reaction and inflict damage to the cells and its components, which in turn ultimately interrupts their biological activities. To prevent free radical damage, together with an endogenous antioxidant system, an exogenous supply of antioxidant components to the body in the form of functional food or nutritional diet helps undeniably. Research conducted by the Natl. Inst. of Health claimed that Moringa oleifera Lam possess the highest antioxidant content among various natural food sources based on an oxygen radical absorbent capacity assay. In this study, a 90% (ethanol:distilled water--90:10) gradient solvent was identified as one of the best gradient solvents for the effectual extraction of bioactive components from M. oleifera leaves. This finding was confirmed by various antioxidant assays, including radical scavenging activity (that is, 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, H(2)O(2), and NO radical scavenging assay) and total antioxidant capacity (that is, ferric reducing antioxidant power and molybdenum assay). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprints of the 90% gradient extract visually showed few specific peaks, which on further analysis, using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS, were identified as flavonoids and their derivatives. Despite commonly reported flavonoids, that is, kaempferol and quercetin, we report here for the 1st time the presence of multiflorin-B and apigenin in M. oleifera leaves. These findings might help researchers to further scrutinize this high activity exhibiting gradient extract and its bio-active candidates for fruitful clinical/translational investigations.

Protective properties of complex of quercetin, selenium, catechins and curcumin against DNA damage

Nutrition plays an important role in prevention of degenerative age-related diseases. Sufficient intake of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, vitamins, minerals, fiber, unsaturated fat with antisclerotic, antioxidative, antiinflammatory and anticarcinogenic properties in form of functional foods or separately is a correct way of this prevention. In a group of randomly selected 50 apparently healthy non-smoking men aged 30-50 years on traditional mixed diet (general population) plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins, catechins, selenium and lymphocyte DNA damage values were measured before consumption of cereal biscuit with selenized onion, green tea and curcuma as the sources of bioactive quercetin, selenium, catechins, curcumin, after 2-month consumption and after 2-month wash-out. The significantly increased plasma concentrations of biscuit antioxidants (selenium, catechins) after 2-month consumption and the non-changed antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids (vitamins C, E, β-carotene and lycopene) during the study mean that the biscuit antioxidants (selenium, catechins and non-measured quercetin, curcumin but present in biscuit) actually caused the significantly reduced values of DNA strand breaks, DNA breaks with oxidized purines and DNA breaks with oxidized pyrimidines. After two months wash-out period, a trend to return of these values derived from biscuit as well as DNA damage values to levels before consumption was expressed. The results of reduced values of DNA damage document a beneficial effect of biscuit as functional food containing polyphenols with antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties in prevention of DNA instability and prevention of oxidative stress.

Antioxidant Enzyme Activities of Iron-Saturated Bovine Lactoferrin (Fe-bLf) in Human Gut Epithelial Cells Under Oxidative Stress

Chemoprevention by dietary constituents in the form of functional food has emerged as a novel approach to control inflammatory diseases and cancers. Recently we reported for the first time that iron content is a critical determinant in the anti-tumour activity of bovine milk lactoferrin (bLf). We therefore wanted to evaluate the chemo-preventative efficacy of Apo-bLF and 100% iron-saturated bLF (Fe-bLF) on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced colon carcinogenesis, and their influence on antioxidant enzyme activities within colon carcinogenesis. This was undertaken through observing how oxidative stress induced by H2O2 alters antioxidant enzyme activity within HT29 colon cancer cells, and then observing changes in this activity by treatments with the different antioxidants ascorbic acid (AA), Apo-bLF and Fe-bLF. All antioxidant enzymes (catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione-s-transferase (GsT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)) appeared to be increased within HT29 cells, even prior to H2O2 exposure, and all enzymes showed significant decreased activity when cells were treated with the antioxidants AA, Apo-bLF or Fe-bLF, with or without H2O2 exposure. The results indicate that all three antioxidants have the ability to scavenge ROS, lower antioxidant enzyme activities within already excited states, and possibly allow colon cancer cells to be overcome by oxidative stress that would normally be prevented, perhaps leading to damage and potential apoptosis of the cancer cells. In conclusion, the anti-oxidative effects of Apo-bLF and Fe-bLf studied for the first time, show dynamic changes that may allow for necessary protection from imbalanced oxidative conditions, and potential at reducing the ability of cancer cells to protect themselves from oxidative stress states.

Evolution of the Human Diet: Linking Our Ancestral Diet to Modern Functional Foods as a Means of Chronic Disease Prevention

The evolution of the human diet over the past 10,000 years from a Paleolithic diet to our current modern pattern of intake has resulted in profound changes in feeding behavior. Shifts have occurred from diets high in fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and seafood to processed foods high in sodium and hydrogenated fats and low in fiber. These dietary changes have adversely affected dietary parameters known to be related to health, resulting in an increase in obesity and chronic disease, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, and cancer. Some intervention trials using Paleolithic dietary patterns have shown promising results with favorable changes in CVD and diabetes risk factors. However, such benefits may be offset by disadvantages of the Paleolithic diet, which is low in vitamin D and calcium and high in fish potentially containing environmental toxins. More advantageous would be promotion of foods and food ingredients from our ancestral era that have been shown to possess health benefits in the form of functional foods. Many studies have investigated the health benefits of various functional food ingredients, including omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, fiber, and plant sterols. These bioactive compounds may help to prevent and reduce incidence of chronic diseases, which in turn could lead to health cost savings ranging from $2 to $3 billion per year as estimated by case studies using omega-3 and plant sterols as examples. Thus, public health benefits should result from promotion of the positive components of Paleolithic diets as functional foods.