It's good for me: It has added fibre! An exploration of the role of different categories of functional foods in consumer diets

This study extends extant research by examining the impetus behind the consumption of both nutritionally rich and nutritionally poor functional foods. It uses diaries and in‐depth interviews and demonstrates that nutritionism theory, that is, where focus shifts from base food products to their constituent nutrients, is central to consumers' perception and consumption of functional foods. An unfortunate consequence is that consumers are unable to distinguish between nutritionally rich and nutritionally poor functional foods, believing instead the health claims of both. Nutritionally poor foods are often as unhealthy and calorific as nonfortified alternatives, and thus this consumption behaviour can have a negative impact on consumer well‐being. This is exacerbated by functional foods being used to boost unhealthy diets as an alternative to more substantial dietary overhaul and being habitually used as substitutes for healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables. Finally, this article reveals that theories of guilt and justification can and should be applied to the consumption of functional foods because many consumers often use functional foods and the nutrients therein to assuage any guilt resultant from unhealthy eating patterns. This study has important implications for nutrition policies. It illustrates the necessity of educating consumers about (i) what constitutes a healthy diet and (ii) the role of nutrients as building blocks in healthy diets, highlighting the importance of choosing appropriate sources for these nutrients. This should enable them to make healthier dietary choices and reduce their propensity to use functional foods as a quick fix to unhealthy eating patterns. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.