A food or food component marketed for health benefits including disease prevention is called?

• A. nutraceuticals
• B. functional foods
• C. probiotics
• D. dietary supplements

Answer: (A)

Nutraceuticals are foods or food components marketed for health benefits, including disease prevention. They encompass items derived from food—such as extracts, fortified foods, or whole foods—that are promoted for medical or health-related effects beyond basic nutrition. This fits the description of being marketed for health benefits and disease prevention. While functional foods are designed to provide additional health benefits through the food itself, and probiotics are a specific type of beneficial microorganism, nutraceuticals cover the broader category of food-based products with health claims. Dietary supplements are products taken to supplement the diet (often pills or powders) and may carry health claims, but they are not foods themselves, which is a key distinction.