Functional foods are the forefront of healthy nutrition. They are defined as any food or food ingredient that contain not only recognized nutrient(s) but also a health benefit beyond the traditional nutrient it contains. Functional foods are similar to a conventional food and play an important role in regular and healthy diet. As part of a routine diet, they might prevent some chronic diseases. Examples of functional foods include: cherries (beleived to be effective remedy for arthritis and to reduce levels of uric acid); garlic (used to prevent high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, respiratory infections, colds, intestinal worms and gastrointestinal ailments); ginger (used for nausea, indigestion, coughs and arthritis); foods high in dietery fibre (prevent constipation and lower cholesterol; olive oil (beleived to prevent heart disease); honey (used as remedy for sore throat, inflamations and minor skin wounds).

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