What are functional foods?

Functional foods are growing in popularity, with everything from probiotic-rich chocolate bars to adaptogenic coffee gracing supermarket shelves. Functional foods are essentially foods that claim to provide added health benefits, beyond the provision of essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. While these are not a dietary requirement, they can be useful for supplementing a particular aspect of personal well-being, such as boosting energy or improving gut health.