From energy to gut health, immunity support, beauty drinks to energy shots, functional beverages can meet a wide range of nutrition needs, offering physical and mental benefits while making it easier for consumers to make a healthier choice.
A functional beverage provides a beneficial effect beyond the essential nutrients the body needs. These health and wellness benefits come from a variety of functional ingredients, ranging from probiotics to caffeine to bioactive proteins. The functional beverage market continues to grow as consumers become more aware of how functional beverages can help support their health and lifestyles.
Functional beverages offer a convenient and refreshing way for consumers to get the benefits they’re looking for. Some consumers are interested in functional benefits that can help them manage a specific health condition—for example, managing blood cholesterol levels with beta-glucan fiber or supporting digestive health with probiotics. Others might be seeking cognitive or mood benefits such as more energy or better focus. Even for consumers interested in general health, functional beverages can stand out on the shelf as a better-for-you option and a way to give the body a little extra support without having to take a supplement.
Some of today’s most popular beverages—such as energy drinks and meal replacement drinks—are functional beverages. However, even these well-known beverages continue to evolve, with some energy drinks now including functional ingredients for vision, memory, and reflexes to meet the needs of gamers. Some meal replacement drinks have added bioactive proteins to support weight management.
Functional beverages can include ingredients from a wide variety of categories. Ingredients that offer a functional benefit can be found in common foods such as grapes and oats, as well as in spices like turmeric and cinnamon. There are also certain types of macronutrients and micronutrients that produce bioactive effects in the body.
Learn more from Glanbia Nutritionals on the benefits, types and ingredients of functional beverages here and their functional beverage offerings here