The global increase in obesity and incidence rate of type 2 diabetes (T2D) poses a major challenge to the global public health system. Metabolic diseases, such as insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and glucose metabolism disorders, are the root causes of these two diseases. Functional foods refer to products that have health benefits in addition to core nutritional components, and are promising dietary therapies for preventing and treating metabolic diseases. This review attempts to summarize the scientific evidence for the main dietary components, namely high-protein products, dietary fiber and prebiotics, low glycemic index (GI) components, and phytochemicals. Research has shown that these ingredients can significantly increase satiety, improve insulin sensitivity, balance gut microbiota homeostasis, and alleviate postprandial blood sugar spikes. In addition, this article also delves into technical strategies to enhance the efficacy of functional foods, including ingredient engineering, fermentation process optimization, sensory balance formula design, and advanced packaging technology. These innovative methods are crucial for ensuring product stability and increasing consumer acceptance. Functional foods have enormous development opportunities, but their cultivation still faces many challenges, including insufficient stability of active ingredients, differences in consumer taste preferences, and globally unified regulations. In the future, in-depth research on personalized nutrition methods and active promotion of consumer education are crucial for achieving breakthroughs. By deeply integrating high-tech innovations in nutrition science and food technology, as well as public health promotion measures, functional foods will become a shining star in preventing metabolic diseases worldwide.
Y Yao (Wed,) studied this question.
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