Nutraceuticals are, as defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary, foodstuffs which provide health benefits in addition to their basic nutritional value. These may include fortified foods as well as dietary supplements that can be sold in capsules, tablets or powders. The idea behind the use of nutraceuticals is that certain organic extracts can have positive benefits on both the mind and body.

The term "nutraceuticals" is a combination of the words nutrition and pharmaceutical, coined by Stephen DeFelice, MD, the founder of the Foundation for Innovation in Medicine (FIM) in 1989. Since then, the popularity of nutraceuticals has soared, due in part to increasing suspicions and concerns about chemically over-processed foods and their impact on our health.

The issues that linger on the minds of many who consider using nutraceuticals to combat their illnesses are frequently safety related. The idea of using nature’s best to cure the body’s problems sounds promising. After all, why should one involve synthetic chemicals—ones with long-term effects that are uncertain—in fixing that which is not synthetic? Certain nutraceuticals have indeed been tested and deemed appropriate by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in the prevention of ailments.