Abstract
Functional foods and herbal medicines have gained global demand due to their health benefits, which have led to increased consumer interest. Their contribution to health is associated to the existence of bioactive compounds with several pharmacological properties such as antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer, and antiinflammatory activities etc. Several phytochemical compounds have been reported to prevent lifestyle disorders and diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Functional foods include dairy products, bakery products and cereals, nutraceuticals, fermented foods, probiotics and prebiotics, vegetables, and fruits, whereas herbal medicines include several herbal plants not limited to ginseng, ginkgo biloba, and ephedra etc. which are expressed in many several forms such as decoctions, capsules, powders, teas, and oils. The transformation of herbal medicines from general consumption has led to the infusion of herbal extracts into foods, leading to the development of herbal functional foods including porridges, soups, beverages, biscuits, candies, chocolates, and dietary supplements. Thus, this review aims to explore the synergistic pharmacological activities of functional foods and herbal medicines as well as the challenges shaping the industry. Following the growing demand of functional foods and herbal medicines, we found that similar bioactive compounds in functional foods and herbal medicines contribute to their health benefits. However, critical issues regarding the regulation of functional foods and herbal medicines to establish their safety and efficacy are still present. Therefore, research on functional foods and herbal medicines is necessary to confirm their safety and efficacy and thereby attract more consumers.
Introduction
Functional foods and herbal medicines have recently gained significant attention due to their beneficial effects on human wellbeing and health. Increased interest in health, disease prevention and treatment, aging populations, urbanization, and public awareness of nutrition have led to the development and introduction of several health-benefitting products namely functional foods, herbal medicines, and their products [1]. Functional foods were first introduced in Japan in 1984 with the term FOSHU (Foods for Specific Health Use), with the aim of providing specific health benefits beyond basic nutrition [2, 3]. Functional foods can be plant-based such as fruits (persimmon, berries, and lemons), vegetables (amaranth and lettuce), beverages, and animal-based foods such as; milk, yoghurt, meats, seafood, and fish. They contain bioactive compounds like proteins, peptides, enzymes, antioxidants, polyunsaturated fats, minerals, vitamins, and phytochemicals, which have shown positive health benefits and effects on several physiological functions. Health benefits include optimal growth and development, nutrition deficiency prevention, and risk reduction of lifestyle disorders and diseases such as hypertension, cancer, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases [4]. Increased interest in functional foods reflects consumers’ evolving preferences towards health and well-being, rather than only obtaining dietary nutrition [5].
Moreover, herbal medicines have been used worldwide for years, with 80% of the global population utilizing them in primary health care [6]. Herbal medicines are used in traditional medical systems referred to differently in several countries, such as Unani in South Asia, Kampo medicine in Japan, Ayurveda in India, traditional Korean medicine in Korea, and Chinese medicine in China. Herbal medicines encompass herbs, herbal materials/extracts, herbal preparations, and finished herbal products in any form that comprise bioactive ingredients. Herbal medicines can also include natural inorganic or organic active ingredients obtained from either mineral or animal materials [7, 8]. In addition to many other plants, neem trees, ginseng, cinnamon, chamomile, ginger, garlic, turmeric, aloe vera, and gingko biloba are frequently used medicinal plants for preparing herbal remedies. Herbal medicines are utilized in mixtures or singular forms for their therapeutic properties, and are often derived from bioactive compounds with medicinal potential like alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, terpenoids, and saponins [9]. Herbal medicines have undergone transformation from its traditional form to the currently used modern medicine. While traditional herbal medicines have sustained generations of health benefits, modern medicines have made significant advancements in treatment of acute conditions and infections because of its easy availability and predictability. Herbal medicines remain a fundamental aspect of health care in many societies, offering complementary and alternative approaches for managing diseases and disease symptoms as well as enhancing overall health [10, 11]. The growing interest in natural products has led to the utilization of herbal medicines as herbal products, dietary supplements, food and beverage ingredients, and cosmetics.
The convergence of functional foods and herbal medicines is marked by the rapidly growing recognition of the potential for promoting health of botanical ingredients in the context of functional foods. Consumers are increasingly choosing products that incorporate natural ingredients and traditional herbal remedies, recognizing their potential to support and optimize health. This synergy has led to an expansion in the market for herbal-infused functional foods and dietary supplements, where the traditional wisdom of herbal medicines meets the precision of modern nutritional science [12].
Therefore, this review aims to explore the relationship between functional foods and herbal medicines, presenting the classification, health benefits and status of functional foods as well as herbal medicines. It also presents the importance of application of nanotechnology and challenges plus perspectives of consumers and manufacturers with respect to functional foods and herbal medicines, which shape the regulatory policies. Here, Korea was used as a case study to explore the effects of functional foods and herbal medicines.
Classification of functional foods and herbal medicines
Functional foods
Functional foods have been defined in many ways; however, all definitions recognize functional foods as foods and their constituents that confer health benefits besides basic nutrition [4, 13]. Functional foods have been classified into several distinct types based on their source, either animals or plants or as bioactive ingredients and their degree of modification as shown in Fig. 1 [4]. Conventional foods, for instance, are natural, unmodified foods with inherent health benefits. These include fruits, pulses, grains, vegetables, fish, teas, and dairy products. Fortified foods have been intentionally enriched with one or more micronutrients (e.g., minerals such as iron and vitamins), including cereals, legumes, sweet potatoes, rice grains, common salt, corn, wheat, flours, sugar, oils, condiments, meats, and milk [14]. Enhanced/enriched foods are those in which certain micronutrients are re-added after being lost during processing, thereby ensuring that the nutritional value is improved. These include milk, fruit juices, fatty acid-enhanced fish and eggs, meats (sausages, salami, and cured meats), and wheat flour etc. [15]. Nutraceuticals, sometimes referred to as dietary supplements, contribute health benefits, including disease prevention, however, they are considered nonpharmaceutical or nonmedicinal. Nutraceuticals contain bioactive compounds extracted from foods like vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, lipids, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and dietary fibers and are available in several forms for example gels, capsules, syrups, tablets, and extracts [16, 17].
Download the full article as PDF here:
From nature to nutrition: exploring the synergistic benefits of functional foods and herbal medicines for holistic health
or read it here
Mudondo, J., Happy, K., Gang, R. et al. From nature to nutrition: exploring the synergistic benefits of functional foods and herbal medicines for holistic health. Appl Biol Chem 68, 17 (2025).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13765-025-00985-z
