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We take in food mainly as a source of energy to maintain physical activity and reconstruct orrepair damaged cells. The belief has existed since ancient times, however, that the role of food also covers the promotion of good health. The Greek intellectual, Hippocrates (460-380 BC), told his students, “Let thy food by thy medicine and let thy medicine by thy food.” Many other examples of the belief in the interrelation between food and medicine come from Chinese culture. For thousands of years, China has used various foods as medicine. A mother who has just given birth, for example, will have fish maw soup to hasten recovery. Bird nest beverages are considered good for cleaning up the lungs and are highly recommended for smokers. Another well known health food is essence of chicken, good for students, the aged, convalescent patients or even overworked modern executives.Modern food consumersIn the past, due to scarcities the main purpose of food for consumers was to fill their stomachs. A few decades after the agricultural revolu- tion that introduced new production technologies, however, the world produces enough food for the global population and more choices are available at affordable prices. Consumers with disposable income adjust their lifestyles and their needs and expectations from food. They now look for food to improve their quality of life rather than just provide energy. Special requirements include parents who want food to enhance the potential of their off- spring, those with active lifestyles and the aged, who are coming to dominate world demographics and want to boost their immunity to various ailments. The general population needs foods that enhance overall well-being. Out of these increasingly sophisticated andspecific demands, health food has flourished.What is health food?Food provides the energy for daily activities. Modern consumers, however, want to improve their quality of life by taking in food that can reduce their risk of various ailments, and this has pushed food scientists to work with nutritionists to craft foods with additional benefits.Opportunities for ThailandThailand is a tropical country, fertile and rich in biodiversity. It also has know-how and advanced agricultural technology, making it a viable kitchen to the world. Thailand already produces many kinds of food products, fresh and processed, plant and animal, and there is great potential for health food production for local and overseas markets. Since the economy has been growing well inrecent years, the buying power of Thais has also increased. They are spending more disposable income on health food products to improve the quality of life for their families.Types of health foodHealth food can be categorized in different ways. For this column we will focus on groups familiar to the local market:Dairy: Milk is a good quality food and products derived from milk are also regarded as healthy. Benefits can be enhanced by adding ingredients such as vitamins and minerals or omega 3 from fish oil. The most notable member of this group is probiotic or fermented milk, which contains bacteria that help sustain normal digestion and boost the immune system.Fruits, cereals and vegetables: These non-animal foods are recommended by nutritionists asElite+ 49