Title
Subscribe to the Magazine for free
Subscribe for free to keep reading! If you are already subscribed, enter your email address to log back in.
Thanks for subscribing!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Are you a healthcare practitioner?
Thanks for subscribing!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

The Power of Functional Foods in Cancer Prevention

Why This Was Updated?

Our specialists regularly review advancements in health and wellness, ensuring our articles are updated with the newest information as it becomes accessible.
Medically Reviewed by

We’ve all been touched by cancer in some way, whether we’ve dealt with our diagnosis or that of a family member, friend, or coworker. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S., and cases continue to rise. In 2021, over 1.6 million people received a new cancer diagnosis, and this number is estimated to grow to almost 2.3 million by the year 2050. Thankfully, we’ve gotten better at early detection and treatment, so cancer death rates have declined. Nevertheless, cancer is still a dreaded, costly diagnosis that takes a significant mental and physical toll.

While a small percentage of cancer cases have a significant genetic component, the vast majority are a result of modifiable risk factors like diet, lifestyle, and environmental exposure. Research has confirmed that what we eat has a significant impact on our overall health, and there may be certain foods that specifically reduce cancer risk. Investigations into functional foods in cancer prevention provide promising results for actionable ways to avoid a cancer diagnosis. In this article, we’ll discuss functional foods and how to incorporate them into your meal plan to reduce your cancer risk as you age.

[signup]

What Are Functional Foods? 

Functional foods are “food or beverage that imparts a physiological benefit that enhances overall health, helps prevent or treat a disease/condition, or improves physical or mental performance via an added functional ingredient, processing modification, or biotechnology.” In other words, functional foods aren’t just the sum of the nutrients they contain; their bioactive compounds impart added protection. Understanding how functional foods can play a role in cancer prevention, knowing what cancer is and how it develops, is helpful.

When you hear the word cancer, you may think of an outside invader, but cancer results when your immune system can’t keep up with your rogue body cells. Normally, your body creates new cells as they’re needed, and these cells grow and divide in an orderly process. When they get old, damaged, and aren't functioning well, your body removes these cells to prevent them from causing harm. When this process is interrupted, reactive oxygen species and inflammation-causing free radicals can damage DNA, proteins, and lipids, allowing impaired cells to grow and multiply unchecked. These damaged cells can then stick together to form cancerous or benign tumors.

Functional foods may provide anti-cancer benefits by targeting the underlying causes of cellular and DNA damage, like inflammation and oxidation. Some anti-cancer properties of functional foods include:

  • Scavenging for and limiting the production of free radicals
  • Protecting the body from oxidation
  • Lowering inflammation
  • Modulating immune system function
  • Improving the gut microbial environment
  • Protecting against DNA damage
  • Improving gut mucosal health
  • Reducing the exposure of the gut lining to toxins
  • Inhibiting pathogen growth

While functional foods hold promise, it’s important to remember that cancer development is unique to an individual person. It’s unlikely that one specific available food can prevent cancer, but these foods can be an excellent addition to a tailored, comprehensive cancer prevention plan. 

Mechanisms of Cancer Prevention Through Diet 

To understand how diet can be used as a cancer prevention tool, we must discuss how food contributes to cancer development. While it would be almost impossible to say that a particular food or diet causes cancer, we do know that specific dietary patterns contribute to the underlying causes of cancer.

The standard American diet promotes obesity and inflammation (two critical cancer risk factors), possibly via its impact on the gut microbiome and the physical gut barrier. Most (70-80%) of immune system cells live in the small intestine. When gut health is compromised, the immune system has a more difficult time ridding the body of damaged cells that could become cancerous in the future.

Ultra-processed foods, which make up a large percentage of the American diet, lead to dysbiosis in the gut and changes in metabolic function. Interestingly, gut bacteria can change their metabolism quickly based on the dietary substrate they’re provided. When ultra-processed foods are consumed at a high rate, microbes may increase the amounts of virulence factors they produce, thus increasing inflammation. In addition, ultra-processed food consumption can potentially lead to a permanent loss of valuable gut bacteria. Since gut microbes are intimately involved in immune system responses, this loss may lead to changes in the epigenome that increase the risk of inflammatory diseases like cancer.  

Part of the consequence of diet-related gut microbiome changes is damage to the protective physical gut barrier in the small intestine. This single-cell barrier filters out what your body should absorb and what it should excrete. Shifting the gut microbiome toward dysbiosis leads to a leaky gut (disrupting the small intestine barrier). When barrier function is compromised, undigested food particles, pathogens, and toxins can cross into the systemic circulation, triggering an altered immune system response and inflammation, which are underlying cancer contributors.

Loss of mucosal homeostasis chronic inflammation-allergy.

When considering dietary mechanisms in cancer prevention, we must eat in such a way as to reduce inflammation, maintain great gut and metabolic health, and normalize immune system function. You can do this by ensuring your dietary pattern includes optimal amounts of all nutrients, especially fiber, which may reduce gastrointestinal and breast cancer risk. There’s also a role for phytochemicals in cancer risk reduction.

Phytochemicals, or phytonutrients, are chemical compounds unique to plants that provide health benefits to humans. You’ve likely heard of various phytonutrients, like polyphenols, resveratrol, and flavonoids, but many others exist. Phytonutrients are functional foods that provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer benefits. They also modulate the immune system and promote optimal gut health. 

Essential Functional Foods for Cancer Prevention 

There are several categories of functional foods in cancer prevention. While no single food on its own will prevent cancer, there are many evidence-based cancer-preventive foods to consider adding to an overall anti-inflammatory meal plan.  

Carotenoids

This group of over 50 plant and animal compounds is essential for photosynthesis, development, and propagation. Regarding cancer prevention, various carotenoids scavenge and limit the production of free radicals, protect against oxidation, modulate immune system function, and reduce inflammation.

  • Astaxanthin, found in green algae, salmon, and trout, crosses the blood-brain barrier to target free radicals in the brain. 
  • Lycopene, found in tomatoes, tomato products, watermelon, grapefruit, apricots, pink guava, and paw, prevents the production of inflammatory mediators like interleukin-8 (IL-8). In one study of men with prostate cancer, when compared to people who ate five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, those who consumed 30 grams of lycopene per day experienced slowed growth of prostate cancer and 47% higher lycopene concentration in prostate tissue. 
  • Lutein, found in green leafy vegetables, bell peppers, grapes, sweet corn, peas, egg yolk, kiwi fruit, and zucchini, may reduce the risk of breast, lung, and colon cancers. Beta-cryptoxanthin, found in human milk, whole wheat products, oranges, orange juice, peaches, papayas, mangos, watermelon, nectarines, plums, grapefruit, black olives, red bell peppers, and tangerines, may reduce the risk of breast, cervical, and lung cancers.
  • Beta-carotene, found in green leafy vegetables, oranges, and yellow fruits and vegetables, may protect against breast cancer.
  • Curcumin found in the spice turmeric acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent for cancer prevention, and it’s currently being studied as a treatment for various cancers.  

Isothiocyanates

Isothiocyanates are derived from the breakdown of sulfur-containing compounds in cruciferous vegetables called glucosinolates. People who eat the highest amounts of broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage tend to have lower cancer rates overall. Several studies have linked this group of functional foods and their metabolites to lower lung, breast, liver, esophageal, stomach, small intestine, and colon cancer risk. Unfortunately, standard cooking methods can reduce the biological activity of these compounds, so eating them raw may be the best way to obtain maximum cancer-preventive effects.

Probiotics and Probiotics

Probiotics are live bacteria that benefit humans when consumed in adequate amounts. Prebiotics are the fibrous parts of plant foods that humans can’t digest but feed bacteria. Probiotic food sources include yogurt, natto, kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut, and fermented vegetables. Prebiotic food sources include legumes (beans and lentils), oats, green bananas, cooked and cooled potatoes, asparagus, dandelion greens, onions, leeks, and apples.

Probiotics help to ensure the health and function of the gut microbiome and the gut lining by maintaining normal barrier function, inhibiting pathogen growth, and supporting diversity. Probiotics also act to modulate the immune system. Prebiotics provide energy to colon cells, keep the gut barrier, improve immune system function, and lower inflammation. Probiotics have been found to protect against DNA damage in the colon, and a combination of pre-and probiotics (synbiotics) may reduce colorectal cancer risk. 

Phytoestrogens

Phytoestrogens, including isoflavones, lignans, coumestans, and flavonoids, are found in a wide variety of plant-based foods like berries, pomegranate, soybeans, olives, grapes, apples, cocoa, green tea, and coffee. They act similarly to the hormone estrogen, can protect DNA from oxidation and damage, and provide an anti-inflammatory benefit. 

As a group, phytoestrogens have been found to cause cancer cell death preferentially, and people who consume the most soy isoflavones (genistein and daidzein) have lower cancer rates. One meta-analysis found high soy intake to decrease breast cancer risk in both pre-and post-menopausal women. While some claim phytoestrogens like soy may be problematic for women recovering from breast cancer and men, the vast majority of research does not support this. High-quality research has found phytoestrogens like soy may reduce prostate, endometrial, thyroid, skin, and colorectal cancer risk. 

When employing functional foods against cancer, it’s best to consistently include a variety of foods from all of these groups rather than focusing on any one group or food. 

Integrating Functional Foods into Daily Diet

Unfortunately, there are no single foods that will keep you safe from cancer. Instead, the dietary pattern, on the whole, matters most in the long run. Consistently eating to maintain optimal gut health and prevent chronic inflammation and oxidation can go a long way in the battle to keep you safe from cancer. 

There are a variety of dietary strategies for cancer prevention. If you’re new to making nutritional changes, the Mediterranean diet is a great place to start. This dietary pattern has been studied extensively and has been found to keep inflammation and blood sugar in check and promote gut microbiome diversity. A systematic review and meta-analysis found those who follow the Mediterranean diet closely tend to have a lower risk of cancer overall. 

The Mediterranean diet includes many functional foods like antioxidant-rich fruits, vegetables, and herbs, legumes and beans, minimally-processed whole grains, and healthy fats. Red meat, eggs, and dairy are kept to a minimum, and ultra-processed foods and sugar are discouraged. 

Once you lay the foundation with a wholesome, anti-inflammatory meal plan, you may want to incorporate specific functional foods into your diet as a part of your overall plan for cancer prevention. While there are many available food supplements, it’s always best to rely on whole-food sources first and only supplement if needed. Here are some tips for adding more functional foods to your daily diet:

  • Add raw collard greens, yogurt, uncooked oats, and a green banana to a berry smoothie in soy milk for breakfast.
  • Have a loaded salad topped with walnuts, olives, and orange slices for lunch.
  • Enjoy iced or hot green tea.
  • Have apple slices with almond butter for a snack
  • Serve a lentil burger and raw Brussels sprouts salad for dinner.

Beyond food, the Mediterranean diet encourages physical activity, social interaction, and stress management practices, all of which foster an anti-cancer environment in the body.

Functional Foods and Personalized Nutrition 

Personalized nutrition refers to using unique information about a person, like genetic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), to tailor nutritional recommendations. Research is underway to determine how specific genetic SNPs may impact nutrient absorption and function in the body and, thus, disease risk. While still in its infancy, this research may help providers better customize nutrition recommendations to provide benefits above and beyond what someone could attain with a one-size-fits-all approach. Let’s take vitamin D as an example. This hormone is vital for proper immune system function and, thus, cancer prevention. Some people have SNPs that impact vitamin D binding protein, affecting how they absorb vitamin D from the sun, supplements, and food sources. Identifying this SNP in an individual patient may help providers better tailor vitamin D recommendations as one tactic in a comprehensive cancer prevention strategy. 

But beyond genetics, all humans have different lifestyles and preferences and other environmental exposures and risk factors. Considering these variables is likely far more critical than genetic SNPs in most cancer cases and offers a way to optimize the cancer-preventive benefits of functional foods. Common cancer risk factors include age, alcohol and tobacco use, chronic inflammation, diet, hormones, infections, obesity, sunlight and radiation exposure, and immunosuppression. Fortunately, the majority of these can be mitigated with diet and lifestyle. Personalized nutrition for cancer prevention means taking a step back and viewing an individual patient holistically. Tailoring diet for cancer risk reduction requires practitioners to assess and address health status, genetics, and risk factors in a specific individual and to customize their plan in such a way as to support their unique needs. 

Challenges and Considerations 

Cancer results from multiple factors, some of which have more of an effect than others, so it may be challenging to know where to start on your journey. Of course, balancing diet in cancer prevention is crucial, but so is sleeping well, managing your stress level, moving your body, and feeling connected to others. These general strategies create the foundation you need to prevent a cancer diagnosis. However, they take a significant personal commitment, and misinformation abounds, especially regarding nutrition. To add another layer, there may be challenges in using functional foods. For example, if you have an overgrowth of bacteria in your small intestine, hammering it with prebiotic and other fibrous foods can lead to significant gastrointestinal symptoms, inflammation, and a dysregulated immune system response, all things we want to avoid when trying to prevent cancer. You may need to take a step back and work with a knowledgeable provider to heal your gut first and then add in these types of functional foods. 

Additionally, there are a myriad of persuasively marketed supplements and foods that make it difficult to know what’s helpful for cancer prevention and what may be a waste of your time and money or even harmful. As one example, highly bioavailable turmeric, which may be cancer-preventive, could also lead to liver injury in some people. Working with a savvy healthcare provider can help you wade through the massive amount of information that’s out there, as well as your health data, to prioritize the most critical factors and distill the evidence into actionable steps for you.

The Future of Functional Foods in Cancer Care

Much research has shown a significant connection between diet and all types of chronic, inflammatory diseases, including cancer. Advancements in cancer nutrition research have suggested a link between functional foods and reduced cancer risk. Billions of dollars are spent on cancer research every year, and we’ve gotten pretty good at effectively treating many of the most common cancers like breast and prostate. However, our traditional healthcare system focuses on treating rather than preventing illness. The truth is a large percentage of cancer cases may be completely avoidable with personalized diet and lifestyle strategies. In the future, more randomized controlled trials studying the effect of diet and lifestyle on cancer development are needed. And it’s vitally important to change the messaging around cancer to empower individuals to take proactive measures, like adding functional foods to their diet, to prevent a cancer diagnosis. 

[signup]

Functional Foods For Cancer Prevention: Final Thoughts

Cancer results from the interplay between genetics and factors like diet, lifestyle, and environmental exposures. While cancer may seem inevitable, there’s a lot you can do to significantly reduce your cancer risk. Functional foods can be part of a personalized nutrition plan to lower inflammation, maintain great gut and metabolic health, and optimize immune system function. But nutrition is just one aspect of a comprehensive cancer prevention plan. Partnering with an integrative and functional healthcare provider can help you prioritize additional lifestyle strategies to give you the best chance of avoiding a cancer diagnosis. 

We’ve all been touched by cancer in some way, whether we’ve dealt with our diagnosis or that of a family member, friend, or coworker. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S., and cases continue to rise. In 2021, over 1.6 million people received a new cancer diagnosis, and this number is estimated to grow to almost 2.3 million by the year 2050. Thankfully, we’ve gotten better at early detection and treatment, so cancer death rates have declined. Nevertheless, cancer is still a challenging diagnosis that takes a significant mental and physical toll.

While a small percentage of cancer cases have a significant genetic component, the vast majority are a result of modifiable risk factors like diet, lifestyle, and environmental exposure. Research has confirmed that what we eat has a significant impact on our overall health, and there may be certain foods that support a healthy lifestyle. Investigations into functional foods in cancer prevention provide promising results for actionable ways to support overall health. In this article, we’ll discuss functional foods and how to incorporate them into your meal plan to support your health as you age.

[signup]

What Are Functional Foods? 

Functional foods are “food or beverage that imparts a physiological benefit that enhances overall health, helps maintain a healthy condition, or improves physical or mental performance via an added functional ingredient, processing modification, or biotechnology.” In other words, functional foods aren’t just the sum of the nutrients they contain; their bioactive compounds may offer added support. Understanding how functional foods can play a role in supporting health, knowing what cancer is and how it develops, is helpful.

When you hear the word cancer, you may think of an outside invader, but cancer results when your immune system can’t keep up with your rogue body cells. Normally, your body creates new cells as they’re needed, and these cells grow and divide in an orderly process. When they get old, damaged, and aren't functioning well, your body removes these cells to prevent them from causing harm. When this process is interrupted, reactive oxygen species and inflammation-causing free radicals can damage DNA, proteins, and lipids, allowing impaired cells to grow and multiply unchecked. These damaged cells can then stick together to form cancerous or benign tumors.

Functional foods may provide benefits by targeting the underlying causes of cellular and DNA damage, like inflammation and oxidation. Some properties of functional foods include:

  • Scavenging for and limiting the production of free radicals
  • Protecting the body from oxidation
  • Lowering inflammation
  • Modulating immune system function
  • Improving the gut microbial environment
  • Protecting against DNA damage
  • Improving gut mucosal health
  • Reducing the exposure of the gut lining to toxins
  • Inhibiting pathogen growth

While functional foods hold promise, it’s important to remember that cancer development is unique to an individual person. It’s unlikely that one specific available food can prevent cancer, but these foods can be an excellent addition to a tailored, comprehensive health support plan. 

Mechanisms of Health Support Through Diet 

To understand how diet can be used as a tool to support health, we must discuss how food contributes to overall well-being. While it would be almost impossible to say that a particular food or diet causes cancer, we do know that specific dietary patterns contribute to the underlying causes of health issues.

The standard American diet promotes obesity and inflammation (two critical health risk factors), possibly via its impact on the gut microbiome and the physical gut barrier. Most (70-80%) of immune system cells live in the small intestine. When gut health is compromised, the immune system has a more difficult time ridding the body of damaged cells that could become problematic in the future.

Ultra-processed foods, which make up a large percentage of the American diet, lead to dysbiosis in the gut and changes in metabolic function. Interestingly, gut bacteria can change their metabolism quickly based on the dietary substrate they’re provided. When ultra-processed foods are consumed at a high rate, microbes may increase the amounts of virulence factors they produce, thus increasing inflammation. In addition, ultra-processed food consumption can potentially lead to a permanent loss of valuable gut bacteria. Since gut microbes are intimately involved in immune system responses, this loss may lead to changes in the epigenome that increase the risk of inflammatory diseases.  

Part of the consequence of diet-related gut microbiome changes is damage to the protective physical gut barrier in the small intestine. This single-cell barrier filters out what your body should absorb and what it should excrete. Shifting the gut microbiome toward dysbiosis leads to a leaky gut (disrupting the small intestine barrier). When barrier function is compromised, undigested food particles, pathogens, and toxins can cross into the systemic circulation, triggering an altered immune system response and inflammation, which are underlying contributors to health issues.

Loss of mucosal homeostasis chronic inflammation-allergy.

When considering dietary mechanisms in supporting health, we must eat in such a way as to reduce inflammation, maintain great gut and metabolic health, and normalize immune system function. You can do this by ensuring your dietary pattern includes optimal amounts of all nutrients, especially fiber, which may support gastrointestinal and breast health. There’s also a role for phytochemicals in supporting health.

Phytochemicals, or phytonutrients, are chemical compounds unique to plants that provide health benefits to humans. You’ve likely heard of various phytonutrients, like polyphenols, resveratrol, and flavonoids, but many others exist. Phytonutrients are functional foods that provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and other health benefits. They also modulate the immune system and promote optimal gut health. 

Essential Functional Foods for Health Support 

There are several categories of functional foods in supporting health. While no single food on its own will prevent health issues, there are many evidence-based foods to consider adding to an overall anti-inflammatory meal plan.  

Carotenoids

This group of over 50 plant and animal compounds is essential for photosynthesis, development, and propagation. Regarding health support, various carotenoids scavenge and limit the production of free radicals, protect against oxidation, modulate immune system function, and reduce inflammation.

  • Astaxanthin, found in green algae, salmon, and trout, crosses the blood-brain barrier to target free radicals in the brain. 
  • Lycopene, found in tomatoes, tomato products, watermelon, grapefruit, apricots, pink guava, and paw, may help manage the production of inflammatory mediators like interleukin-8 (IL-8). In one study of men with prostate cancer, when compared to people who ate five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, those who consumed 30 grams of lycopene per day experienced slowed growth of prostate cancer and 47% higher lycopene concentration in prostate tissue. 
  • Lutein, found in green leafy vegetables, bell peppers, grapes, sweet corn, peas, egg yolk, kiwi fruit, and zucchini, may support breast, lung, and colon health. Beta-cryptoxanthin, found in human milk, whole wheat products, oranges, orange juice, peaches, papayas, mangos, watermelon, nectarines, plums, grapefruit, black olives, red bell peppers, and tangerines, may support breast, cervical, and lung health.
  • Beta-carotene, found in green leafy vegetables, oranges, and yellow fruits and vegetables, may support breast health.
  • Curcumin found in the spice turmeric acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent for health support, and it’s currently being studied for various health benefits.  

Isothiocyanates

Isothiocyanates are derived from the breakdown of sulfur-containing compounds in cruciferous vegetables called glucosinolates. People who eat the highest amounts of broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage tend to have lower health issues overall. Several studies have linked this group of functional foods and their metabolites to lower lung, breast, liver, esophageal, stomach, small intestine, and colon health issues. Unfortunately, standard cooking methods can reduce the biological activity of these compounds, so eating them raw may be the best way to obtain maximum benefits.

Probiotics and Prebiotics

Probiotics are live bacteria that benefit humans when consumed in adequate amounts. Prebiotics are the fibrous parts of plant foods that humans can’t digest but feed bacteria. Probiotic food sources include yogurt, natto, kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut, and fermented vegetables. Prebiotic food sources include legumes (beans and lentils), oats, green bananas, cooked and cooled potatoes, asparagus, dandelion greens, onions, leeks, and apples.

Probiotics help to ensure the health and function of the gut microbiome and the gut lining by maintaining normal barrier function, inhibiting pathogen growth, and supporting diversity. Probiotics also act to modulate the immune system. Prebiotics provide energy to colon cells, keep the gut barrier, improve immune system function, and lower inflammation. Probiotics have been found to protect against DNA damage in the colon, and a combination of pre-and probiotics (synbiotics) may support colorectal health. 

Phytoestrogens

Phytoestrogens, including isoflavones, lignans, coumestans, and flavonoids, are found in a wide variety of plant-based foods like berries, pomegranate, soybeans, olives, grapes, apples, cocoa, green tea, and coffee. They act similarly to the hormone estrogen, can protect DNA from oxidation and damage, and provide an anti-inflammatory benefit. 

As a group, phytoestrogens have been found to support healthy cell function, and people who consume the most soy isoflavones (genistein and daidzein) tend to have better health outcomes. One meta-analysis found high soy intake to support breast health in both pre-and post-menopausal women. While some claim phytoestrogens like soy may be problematic for women recovering from breast cancer and men, the vast majority of research does not support this. High-quality research has found phytoestrogens like soy may support prostate, endometrial, thyroid, skin, and colorectal health. 

When employing functional foods, it’s best to consistently include a variety of foods from all of these groups rather than focusing on any one group or food. 

Integrating Functional Foods into Daily Diet

Unfortunately, there are no single foods that will keep you safe from health issues. Instead, the dietary pattern, on the whole, matters most in the long run. Consistently eating to maintain optimal gut health and prevent chronic inflammation and oxidation can go a long way in supporting your health. 

There are a variety of dietary strategies for health support. If you’re new to making nutritional changes, the Mediterranean diet is a great place to start. This dietary pattern has been studied extensively and has been found to keep inflammation and blood sugar in check and promote gut microbiome diversity. A systematic review and meta-analysis found those who follow the Mediterranean diet closely tend to have better health outcomes overall. 

The Mediterranean diet includes many functional foods like antioxidant-rich fruits, vegetables, and herbs, legumes and beans, minimally-processed whole grains, and healthy fats. Red meat, eggs, and dairy are kept to a minimum, and ultra-processed foods and sugar are discouraged. 

Once you lay the foundation with a wholesome, anti-inflammatory meal plan, you may want to incorporate specific functional foods into your diet as a part of your overall plan for health support. While there are many available food supplements, it’s always best to rely on whole-food sources first and only supplement if needed. Here are some tips for adding more functional foods to your daily diet:

  • Add raw collard greens, yogurt, uncooked oats, and a green banana to a berry smoothie in soy milk for breakfast.
  • Have a loaded salad topped with walnuts, olives, and orange slices for lunch.
  • Enjoy iced or hot green tea.
  • Have apple slices with almond butter for a snack
  • Serve a lentil burger and raw Brussels sprouts salad for dinner.

Beyond food, the Mediterranean diet encourages physical activity, social interaction, and stress management practices, all of which foster a supportive environment for health in the body.

Functional Foods and Personalized Nutrition 

Personalized nutrition refers to using unique information about a person, like genetic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), to tailor nutritional recommendations. Research is underway to determine how specific genetic SNPs may impact nutrient absorption and function in the body and, thus, health outcomes. While still in its infancy, this research may help providers better customize nutrition recommendations to provide benefits above and beyond what someone could attain with a one-size-fits-all approach. Let’s take vitamin D as an example. This hormone is vital for proper immune system function and, thus, health support. Some people have SNPs that impact vitamin D binding protein, affecting how they absorb vitamin D from the sun, supplements, and food sources. Identifying this SNP in an individual patient may help providers better tailor vitamin D recommendations as one tactic in a comprehensive health support strategy. 

But beyond genetics, all humans have different lifestyles and preferences and other environmental exposures and risk factors. Considering these variables is likely far more critical than genetic SNPs in most health cases and offers a way to optimize the benefits of functional foods. Common health risk factors include age, alcohol and tobacco use, chronic inflammation, diet, hormones, infections, obesity, sunlight and radiation exposure, and immunosuppression. Fortunately, the majority of these can be mitigated with diet and lifestyle. Personalized nutrition for health support means taking a step back and viewing an individual patient holistically. Tailoring diet for health risk reduction requires practitioners to assess and address health status, genetics, and risk factors in a specific individual and to customize their plan in such a way as to support their unique needs. 

Challenges and Considerations 

Health results from multiple factors, some of which have more of an effect than others, so it may be challenging to know where to start on your journey. Of course, balancing diet in health support is crucial, but so is sleeping well, managing your stress level, moving your body, and feeling connected to others. These general strategies create the foundation you need to support your health. However, they take a significant personal commitment, and misinformation abounds, especially regarding nutrition. To add another layer, there may be challenges in using functional foods. For example, if you have an overgrowth of bacteria in your small intestine, hammering it with prebiotic and other fibrous foods can lead to significant gastrointestinal symptoms, inflammation, and a dysregulated immune system response, all things we want to avoid when trying to support health. You may need to take a step back and work with a knowledgeable provider to heal your gut first and then add in these types of functional foods. 

Additionally, there are a myriad of persuasively marketed supplements and foods that make it difficult to know what’s helpful for health support and what may be a waste of your time and money or even harmful. As one example, highly bioavailable turmeric, which may be supportive, could also lead to liver injury in some people. Working with a savvy healthcare provider can help you wade through the massive amount of information that’s out there, as well as your health data, to prioritize the most critical factors and distill the evidence into actionable steps for you.

The Future of Functional Foods in Health Care

Much research has shown a significant connection between diet and all types of chronic, inflammatory diseases, including cancer. Advancements in nutrition research have suggested a link between functional foods and health support. Billions of dollars are spent on health research every year, and we’ve gotten pretty good at effectively treating many of the most common health issues like breast and prostate. However, our traditional healthcare system focuses on treating rather than preventing illness. The truth is a large percentage of health issues may be completely avoidable with personalized diet and lifestyle strategies. In the future, more randomized controlled trials studying the effect of diet and lifestyle on health development are needed. And it’s vitally important to change the messaging around health to empower individuals to take proactive measures, like adding functional foods to their diet, to support their health. 

[signup]

Functional Foods For Health Support: Final Thoughts

Health results from the interplay between genetics and factors like diet, lifestyle, and environmental exposures. While health issues may seem inevitable, there’s a lot you can do to significantly support your health. Functional foods can be part of a personalized nutrition plan to lower inflammation, maintain great gut and metabolic health, and optimize immune system function. But nutrition is just one aspect of a comprehensive health support plan. Partnering with an integrative and functional healthcare provider can help you prioritize additional lifestyle strategies to give you the best chance of supporting your health. 

The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider before taking any dietary supplement or making any changes to your diet or exercise routine.
Learn More
No items found.

Lab Tests in This Article

No lab tests!
  1.   Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, Jan 18). Leading Causes of Death. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm
  2.  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, Jun 8). Cancer Data and Statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/data/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/data/index.htm
  3.  Weir HK, Thompson TD, Stewart SL, White MC. Cancer Incidence Projections in the United States Between 2015 and 2050. Prev Chronic Dis 2021;18:210006. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd18.210006 external icon.
  4.  National Cancer Institute. (2015, Dec 23). Risk Factors for Cancer. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk
  5.  National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute. (2021, Oct 11). What is Cancer? https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer
  6.  National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute. (2023, Mar 7). Common Cancer Types. https://www.cancer.gov/types/common-cancers
  7.  Zinöcker, M. K., & Lindseth, I. A. (2018). The Western Diet-Microbiome-Host Interaction and Its Role in Metabolic Disease. Nutrients, 10(3), 365. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10030365
  8.  Blake, K. (2023, Nov 30). How To Boost Your Child’s Immune System Naturally. Rupa Health Magazine. https://www.rupahealth.com/post/how-to-boost-your-childs-immune-system-naturally
  9.  Juul, F., Parekh, N., Martinez-Steele, E., Monteiro, C. A., & Chang, V. W. (2022). Ultra-processed food consumption among US adults from 2001 to 2018. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 115(1), 211–221. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqab305
  10. Weinberg, J. (2022, Nov 16). What is the Mediterranean Diet? Rupa Health Magazine. https://www.rupahealth.com/post/4-science-backed-health-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet
  11. Aghajanpour, M., Nazer, M. R., Obeidavi, Z., Akbari, M., Ezati, P., & Kor, N. M. (2017). Functional foods and their role in cancer prevention and health promotion: a comprehensive review. PubMed Central (PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5411786/
  12. Blake, K. (2023, May 22). Anti-inflammatory Diet 101: What to Eat and Avoid Plus Specialty Labs to Monitor Results. Rupa Health Magazine. https://www.rupahealth.com/post/anti-inflammatory-diet
  13. Jones, P. J. (2002, June 6). Clinical basics: Clinical nutrition: 7. Functional foods — more than just nutrition. PubMed Central (PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC113804/
  14. Meléndez-Martínez, A. J., et al. (2021). Carotenoids: Considerations for Their Use in Functional Foods, Nutraceuticals, Nutricosmetics, Supplements, Botanicals, and Novel Foods in the Context of Sustainability, Circular Economy, and Climate Change. Annual review of food science and technology, 12, 433–460. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-food-062220-013218
  15. Delage, B. (2017, Mar). Isothiocyanates. Oregon State University Linus Pauling Institute. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/dietary-factors/phytochemicals/isothiocyanates
  16. Diorio, B. (2024, April 1). Could your patients benefits from the Phytonutrient Spectrum Food Plan? Rupa Health. https://www.rupahealth.com/post/could-your-patients-benefits-from-the-phytonutrient-spectrum-food-plan
  17. Boutas, I., Kontogeorgi, A., Dimitrakakis, C., & Kalantaridou, S. N. (2022). Soy Isoflavones and Breast Cancer Risk: A Meta-analysis. In vivo (Athens, Greece), 36(2), 556–562. https://doi.org/10.21873/invivo.12737
  18. Schwingshackl, L., Schwedhelm, C., Galbete, C., & Hoffmann, G. (2017). Adherence to Mediterranean Diet and Risk of Cancer: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 9(10), 1063. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9101063
  19. Mounir, M., Ibijbijen, A., Farih, K., Rabetafika, H. N., & Razafindralambo, H. L. (2022). Synbiotics and Their Antioxidant Properties, Mechanisms, and Benefits on Human and Animal Health: A Narrative Review. Biomolecules, 12(10), 1443. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12101443
  20. Wang, F., Zheng, J., Cheng, J., Zou, H., Li, M., Deng, B., Luo, R., Wang, F., Huang, D., Li, G., Zhang, R., Ding, X., Li, Y., Du, J., Yang, Y., & Kan, J. (2022). Personalized nutrition: A review of genotype-based nutritional supplementation. Frontiers in nutrition, 9, 992986. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.992986
  21. Jeon, S. M., & Shin, E. A. (2018). Exploring vitamin D metabolism and function in cancer. Experimental & molecular medicine, 50(4), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1038/s12276-018-0038-9
  22. Więcek, M., Panufnik, P., Kaniewska, M., Lewandowski, K., & Rydzewska, G. (2022). Low-FODMAP Diet for the Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Remission of IBD. Nutrients, 14(21), 4562. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14214562
  23. Giordano, A., & Tommonaro, G. (2019). Curcumin and Cancer. Nutrients, 11(10), 2376. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11102376
  24. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (2021, May 11). Turmeric. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK548561/
  25. Damián, M. R., Cortes-Perez, N. G., Quintana, E. T., Ortiz-Moreno, A., Garfias Noguez, C., Cruceño-Casarrubias, C. E., Sánchez Pardo, M. E., & Bermúdez-Humarán, L. G. (2022). Functional Foods, Nutraceuticals and Probiotics: A Focus on Human Health. Microorganisms, 10(5), 1065. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10051065
  26. Malani, S. (2023, Apr 17). An Integrative Medicine Approach to Breast Cancer Prevention. Rupa Health Magazine. https://www.rupahealth.com/post/an-integrative-medicine-approach-to-breast-cancer-prevention
  27. Greenan, S. (2021, Dec 8). 5 Probiotic-Rich Foods to Eat Instead of Taking Supplements. Rupa Health Magazine. https://www.rupahealth.com/post/the-different-types-of-probiotics-health-benefits
  28. Cloyd, J. (2023, Sept 25). An Integrative Medicine Approach to Understanding Sleep’s Role in Healthy Immune System Function. Rupa Health Magazine. https://www.rupahealth.com/post/an-integrative-medicine-approach-to-understanding-sleeps-role-in-a-healthy-immune-system
  29. Yoshimura, H. (2023, Nov 7). The Remarkable Power of Exercise on Our Health: A Comprehensive Overview. Rupa Health Magazine. https://www.rupahealth.com/post/the-remarkable-power-of-exercise-on-our-health-a-comprehensive-overview
  30. Clyod, J. (2023, Oct 2). A Functional Medicine Approach to Stress Management. Rupa Health Magazine. https://www.rupahealth.com/post/a-functional-medicine-approach-to-stress-management
  31. Yoshimura, H. (2023, Dec 11). Personalized Nutrition: Tailoring Diet Plans to Genetic Profiles. Rupa Health Magazine. https://www.rupahealth.com/post/personalized-nutrition-tailoring-diet-plans-to-genetic-profiles
  32. Fasano A. (2020). All disease begins in the (leaky) gut: role of zonulin-mediated gut permeability in the pathogenesis of some chronic inflammatory diseases. F1000Research, 9, F1000 Faculty Rev-69. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.20510.1
  33. Fan, Y., Wang, M., Li, Z., Jiang, H., Shi, J., Shi, X., Liu, S., Zhao, J., Kong, L., Zhang, W., & Ma, L. (2022). Intake of Soy, Soy Isoflavones and Soy Protein and Risk of Cancer Incidence and Mortality. Frontiers in nutrition, 9, 847421. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.847421
Subscribe to the Magazine for free to keep reading!
Subscribe for free to keep reading, If you are already subscribed, enter your email address to log back in.
Thanks for subscribing!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Are you a healthcare practitioner?
Thanks for subscribing!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
See All Magazine Articles
Trusted Source
The Journal of Pediatrics
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
CDC
Government Authority
Visit Source
Office of Dietary Supplements
Government Authority
Visit Source
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
Government Authority
Visit Source
National Institutes of Health
Government Authority
Visit Source
Clinical Infectious Diseases
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
Brain
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
The Journal of Rheumatology
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI)
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
Hepatology
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
Kidney International
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
Annals of Surgery
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
Chest
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
The Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
Blood
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
Gastroenterology
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
The American Journal of Psychiatry
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
Diabetes Care
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
The Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC)
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
The Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO)
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI)
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
Circulation
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
JAMA Internal Medicine
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
PLOS Medicine
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
Annals of Internal Medicine
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
Nature Medicine
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
The BMJ (British Medical Journal)
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
The Lancet
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
Pubmed
Comprehensive biomedical database
Visit Source
Harvard
Educational/Medical Institution
Visit Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational/Medical Institution
Visit Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational/Medical Institution
Visit Source
The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM)
Peer Reviewed Journal
Visit Source
Johns Hopkins
Educational/Medical Institution
Visit Source