~ 1 ~ Journal of Current Research in Food Science 2024; 5(1): 01-06 E-ISSN: 2709-9385 P-ISSN: 2709-9377 JCRFS 2024; 5(1): 01-06 © 2024 JCRFS www.foodresearchjournal.com Received: 02-11-2023 Accepted: 13-12-2023 Saptarshi Mukherjee M.Tech., Department of Bioinformatics, Makaut, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, Nadia, West Bengal, India Prathiksa Pramanik Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Food and Nutrition, Swami Vivekananda University, Barrackpore, West Bengal, India Deblina Chatterjee Department of Food Processing and Nutrition Science, BESU, West Bengal, India Pallabi Chatterjee M.Sc., Applied Nutrition, WBUHS, West Bengal, India Ushasee Garai Department of Food and Nutrition, JD Birla Institute affiliated by Jadavpur University, West Bengal, India Correspondence Author: Saptarshi Mukherjee M.Tech., Department of Bioinformatics, Makaut, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, Nadia, West Bengal, India Functional foods against metabolic disorders: A review Saptarshi Mukherjee, Prathiksa Pramanik, Deblina Chatterjee, Pallabi Chatterjee and Ushasee Garai Abstract The increasing incidence of metabolic diseases, which include obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes, has led to an increasing need for complementary therapies to address these health issues. Functional foods, which contain bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and omega-3 fatty acids, have been shown to have beneficial effects on metabolic health, including the treatment of obesity and diabetes. This introduction explores the potential of functional foods to prevent or treat metabolic diseases by examining the impacts of certain bioactive chemicals on important metabolic health pathways present in these foods along with some recent approaches like nutrigenomic and the interaction of bioactive compounds of functional foods to treat metabolic disorders by altering gene expression. Through an examination of the scientific literature authored by a range of writers, we are able to identify the many viewpoints and continuing investigations that highlight the importance of functional food within the current nutritional context. Keywords: Functional foods, bioactive compounds, metabolic disorders, omega-3 fatty acids, human health Introduction The idea of functional foods transcends the conventional perspective of food as just a supply of necessary nutrients, marking a paradigm change in our understanding of nutrition. Nutraceuticals, or functional foods, are characterized as food items that have potential physiological and therapeutic benefits in addition to their fundamental nutritional value (Hasler, 2002) [8] . The investigation of functional foods has accelerated recently due to a growing understanding of the close relationship between nutrition and health. Functional foods are a broad category of goods that include anything from probiotic-rich yogurts and fortified cereals to herbal teas and oils with added omega-3 fatty acids (Martinez Steele et al., 2017) [13] . The investigation of the bioactive substances found in these foods and their potential to prevent or treat a range of medical disorders has piqued the attention of the scientific community. The market for functional foods is growing as people seek proactive ways to well-being and become more health aware. This indicates a dynamic interaction between public health, medicine, and food science. Tewari et al. (2022) [6] reported that functional foods can improve our health and well-being by lowering our chance of contracting specific illnesses or ailments. In order to meet nutritional needs and shield the body from many illnesses and ailments like diabetes, cancer, obesity, and cardiovascular disease, among others, functional foods should be a balanced part of a regular diet. It is used as dietary supplements and a general term for nutraceuticals (probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, etc.). Probiotics, prebiotics, and functional foods rich in a variety of nutrients that are useful in day-to-day living are also included in this group of nutraceuticals. This review article will be summarized regarding functional foods and their effects on different metabolic disorders. Metabolic Disorders Metabolic disorders are a broad category of health problems defined by abnormalities in the body's normal metabolic functions, which include energy synthesis, usage, and storage (Byrne et al., 2009) [3] . These illnesses may impact many organ systems, resulting in a wide range of symptoms and problems. The complex interaction of genetic genetics, lifestyle variables, and environmental effects all contribute to the development and progression of metabolic diseases, making them a major worldwide health problem.