Curcumin not likely to have therapeutic benefit, report reveals

Curcumin not likely to have therapeutic benefit, report revealsCurcumin, a compound in turmeric, continues to be hailed as a natural treatment for a wide range of health conditions, including cancer and Alzheimer's disease

in fact, it is a real dilemma. The scientific facts prove the food efficiency in prevention, protection and even therapeutic action. However i think in many countries reglemantations do not support the scientific claims. You can find also the term Medical Food, defined by the FDA as a formulated to be consumed or administered enterally under the supervision of a physician and which is intended for the specific dietary management of a disease or condition for which distinctive nutritional requirements, based on recognized scientific principles, are established by medical evaluation.

I think the main problem is standarizing Medical Food in order to be controled.

Recently the term "functional foods" is being used in many studies; Functional foods can be considered to be those whole, fortified, enriched or enhanced foods that provide health benefits beyond the provision of essential nutrients (e.g., vitamins and minerals), when they are consumed at efficacious levels as part of a varied diet on a regular basis.

During the first 50 years of the 20th century, scientific focus was on the identification of essential elements, particularly vitamins, and their role in the prevention of various dietary deficiency diseases. This emphasis on nutrient deficiencies or “undernutrition” shifted dramatically, however, during the 1970s when diseases linked to excess and “overnutrition” became a major public health concern. Thus began a flurry of public health guidelines, including the Senate Select (McGovern) Committee’s Dietary Goals for the United States (1977), the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (1980, 1985, 1990, 1996, 2000— a joint publication of the USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services), the Surgeon General’s Report on Nutrition and Health (1988), the National Research Council’s Diet and Health (1989) and Healthy People 2000 and 2010 from the U.S. Public Health Service. All of these reports are aimed at public policy and education emphasizing the importance of consuming a diet that is low in saturated fat, and high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes and stroke.

Functional foods represent one of the most intensively investigated and widely promoted areas in the food and nutrition sciences today. However, it must be emphasized that these foods and ingredients are not magic bullets or panaceas for poor health habits. Diet is only one aspect of a comprehensive approach to good health.  

Ref: Hasler, Clare M. "Functional foods: benefits, concerns and challenges—a position paper from the American Council on Science and Health." The Journal of nutrition 132.12 (2002): 3772-3781.

Check this link:

https://www.fda.gov/media/97726/download