Abstract
Botanical ingredients have been used for centuries in food and in medicines, typically to support and maintain physiological functions and as remedies for many ailments. Today, botanical ingredients are still ingested as part of food supplements or herbal medicines (HM). Industry reports suggest growing global sales of and revenue from HM and food supplements containing botanicals, hereafter called botanical food supplements (BFS). In the context of this suggested growing popularity, this article will introduce both BFS and HM and then explore the available data on BFS intakes and consumer attitudes to their use. It will describe the EU regulatory framework within which BFS sit and mention research suggesting possible interactions between botanical ingredients, HM and traditional medicines. It is intended as a brief overview rather than a comprehensive review of the area.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 512-522 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Nutrition Bulletin |
Volume | 45 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 11 Dec 2020 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The authors are grateful for the advice received from the MHRA regarding classification of herbal medicines during the preparation of this article.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 British Nutrition Foundation
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
Keywords
- botanicals
- dietary intake
- food supplements
- herbal medicines
- regulations
- risk
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine (miscellaneous)
- Nutrition and Dietetics