The role of lifestyle and especially the role of proper nutrition in civilisations diseases prevention have been proved scientifically. In many countries, however, people’s consciousness of that fact and particularly their nutritional habits leave much to be desired. At the same time the increasing demand for healthy nutrition models has brought about rapid development of a new group of food products, called the functional foods. The main characteristics of such products must fulfill certain requirements, such as the resemblance to normal food products, and at the same time they must produce positive effects when consumed in the amounts similar to those in a normal diet. They can by no means be in a form of pills or capsules. Functional foods can be classified either by their composition or by their role in diet-related diseases prevention. The broadening range of these products is a chance for those who are conscious of the effect of proper nutrition on their health, as well as for physicians when giving advice to patients.