Functional Foods, Beverages, and Ingredients in Athletics

T hegenerally accepted definition of a functional food or beverage is a product that has an ‘‘added physiological benefit above and beyond its naturally occurring benefits.’’ So for instance, orange juice with nothing added is a regular beverage, whereas orange juice with added plant sterols is a functional beverage because the plant sterols are added for a physiological benefit, to help reduce cholesterol. There are few studies on complete functional beverages or food in relationship to athletics. There are, however, several studies on functional ingredients. This article will cover both finished products and ingredients.