A group of "nutrition" and "pharmaceutical" foods claimed to have a medicinal effect on human health: Such nutraceuticals are also called "functional foods".

Nutraceutical can also be individual chemicals present in common foods.

Nutraceuticals are sold as foods for general consumption; or as "health foods" to be used as "supplements" to nutritional diets.

2. Etymology: from Latin nutrire, "to nourish" + pharmaceutical.

The term is applied to products that range from isolated nutrients, dietary supplements and herbal products, specific diets, and processed foods; such as, cereals, soups, and beverages.