This editorial in Frontiers in Nutrition introduces a collection of 33 studies exploring how functional foods, probiotics, prebiotics, and bioactive compounds can improve metabolic health and help manage conditions such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver dysfunction, and hyperuricemia.
The editorial highlights growing evidence that modern diets high in saturated fats and refined sugars contribute significantly to metabolic disorders, while functional foods rich in probiotics, polyphenols, fibers, and other bioactive compounds may offer protective and therapeutic effects. The reviewed studies demonstrate benefits from fermented foods, flavonoids, resistant starches, vitamins, plant extracts, probiotics, and ketogenic dietary approaches in regulating body weight, improving lipid metabolism, reducing inflammation, supporting gut microbiota balance, and protecting liver and cardiovascular health.
The article also emphasizes the importance of gut microbiota modulation as a central mechanism linking functional foods to metabolic improvements. While findings are promising, the editorial notes that further research is needed to establish optimal dosages, treatment durations, safety, and administration methods before functional-food-based therapies can be fully integrated into healthcare systems.