ABSTRACT
Plants have been used as functional food since ancient times. There are several plants used as food due to their nutritional and disease-curing and enhanced immunity-building power. Herbs were used for their medicinal, flavouring and aromatic qualities for centuries, but the synthetic products of the modern age have surpassed their importance. Herbs are used as functional foods due to their properties. Some herbs have the power to change our physiological functioning and thus have revolutionised medicine. A herb is a plant or portion of a plant utilised for its distinctive flavour, scent or medical characteristics. The parts of plants that are grown for their aromatic, spicy or other desirable properties are called spices and herbs. Rhizomes, stigmas, fruits, seeds, flower buds, bulbs, barks and leaves make up spices and herbs. They are frequently separated into the categories of herbs, spices and spice seeds. Herbal medicines are typically consumed as dietary supplements. A functional food can be either natural, unaltered or processed food with a specialised design. Such designed products that resemble traditional foods yet have physiological advantages are called functional foods. Conventional, fortified, enriched or enhanced foods and dietary supplements are some examples. Most herbs are considered functional foods due to their nutritional level or nutraceutical status. Nutraceuticals, on the other hand, are products produced from foods, but they are used as medications in the form of tablets, capsules or liquids, and once again have proven physiological advantages. Functional foods and dietary supplements generally contain nutraceutical components, which are made up of naturally occurring compounds with therapeutic characteristics that can help maintain health or prevent disease. There are some herbs that have shown antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. There are a number of food products comprising herbs that can lower the risk of cancer and alter tumour behaviour.
