Nutraceutical is a term combining the words `nutrition` and `pharmaceutical`. It is a food or food product that provides health and medical benefits.

A new study by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) takes a closer look at some of the current and up-and-coming ingredients being used in energy drinks and foods, the journal Food technology reports.

For instance, slow-digesting carbohydrates offer sustained energy benefits as they are derived from sucrose and are different from sugar because they release energy at a slower rate, according to an IFT statement.

Botanicals such as ginkgo biloba, ginseng, yerba mate and milk thistle are known to provide `natural` energy. Some other botanicals are:

• Green tea is a natural source of caffeine. Research indicates potential benefits of green tea extracts in areas such as energy expenditure, enhanced metabolism and fat oxidation.

  Follow a vitamin rich diet
  

• Nitrate-rich beetroot juice has the potential to increase exercise endurance.
  
• B Vitamins aid in the breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose, which provides energy, and the breakdown of fats and proteins.
  

Image: Wikimedia Commons