[건강당당] Health Functional Food Misconceptions and Truths for Diabetics

Due to an aging society, the population with chronic diseases has increased, and interest in health has increased due to the Corona 19 pandemic, and the health functional food market has grown to the extent of reaching 5 trillion won a year. You can see a lot of people around you exchanging health functional foods for holidays, birthday gifts, etc., but if the person receiving the gift is diabetic, you need to be more careful. Find out about ‘misunderstandings and truths’ surrounding health functional foods.

misunderstanding 1. Are health functional foods healthy foods?

Health functional food refers to food manufactured and processed into various formulations such as tablets, capsules, and liquids using raw materials or ingredients with useful functionalities for the human body in accordance with the Health Functional Foods Act. The daily intake is set, and there are health functional food phrases and marks.

On the other hand, health food generally refers to products that are recognized as good for health among general foods manufactured and processed according to the Food Sanitation Act. Examples include eel juice, bellflower seed extract, enzyme food, etc. These are simple foods without set regulations, and there are no health functional food phrases or marks.

misunderstanding 2. Are health functional foods medicines?

Health functional foods are not medicines that treat diseases. Medicines are used to diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases and have pharmacological effects on the body structure and function of humans and animals. It is more difficult and thorough to verify than food, such as having to prove its safety and effectiveness through a three-stage clinical trial involving thousands of patients.

misunderstanding 3. Can I eat health functional foods as much as I want?

Health functional foods are concentrated and refined functional ingredients extracted from food, so excessive intake may cause toxicity or side effects. You must keep the indicated intake amount and do not take it together with treatment medicine without consultation.

Health functional food for diabetics

According to the Korea Diabetes Association, ginsenosides in ginseng and red ginseng can lower blood sugar, and milk thistle can increase insulin sensitivity when consumed with blood sugar enhancing agents. Glucosamine needs counseling before and after surgery, if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, liver or heart disease, or if you are taking anticoagulants. Wild mango seed extract may cause hypoglycemia when used in combination with hypoglycemic drugs, and DHA/Ginkgo may reduce the effect of anti-diabetic drugs and hypoglycemic drugs.