**2.1 Fitness associated with functional food**

Most developed aspects that promote the health of the individuals by consuming functional food may include a positive change in the physical and mental health. Several parameters can actively participate and ensure the normal health which include; gastrointestinal health, intellectual health, physiological health and somatic health. The risk of different diseases (e.g., cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic disease and musculoskeletal disease) can also be reduced by consuming an adequate amount of functional food [11]. According to the United States study, functional foods are those types of foods that contain biologically active components which can maintain the normal gut microflora and detoxify the harmful chemicals from the host body [12]*.* Consumer demands must be taken into account when functional foods are designed, functional foods may be found in approximately all

*An Overview of Functional Food DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.103978*

**Figure 2.** *Applications of functional foods.*

food types. Almost every type of functional food is produced but their access towards customers is not consistent [13]. Functional food can be produced from dairy, sweet products, cold drinks, bakery, vitamins, minerals, plant source, animal source and many other due to its much importance in our monotonous life [14]. The producers classify it into two groups, i.e., conservative foodstuff and cheered nutrition.
