Optimizing Women's Health-Utilising Phytochemicals for Functional Food Development

Objectives: The major objective of this review is to systematically evaluate and synthesize recent evidence on functional foods and phytochemicals in relation to women’s health outcomes. Functional foods have emerged as an important dietary component that extend beyond basic nutrition by delivering bioactive compounds with targeted health benefits. Materials and Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar and 74 studies were included in the final synthesis. Only peer-reviewed English articles from 2011-2025 were considered, while editorials and non-peer-reviewed sources were excluded. The screening process followed PRISMA guidelines. Results: Among the included studies, 42% focused on phytochemicals in cereals and legumes, 35% on spices and herbs and 23% on fruits and vegetables. Approximately 65% reported significant benefits in managing PCOS, menopause and metabolic disorders. Functional foods such as cereals, millets, legumes, fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices contain phytochemicals that modulate oxidative stress, inflammation and hormone metabolism. These functional components demonstrate therapeutic potential in addressing women-specific health challenges such as polycystic ovary syndrome, menstrual irregularities, menopause, anemia, thyroid dysfunction, obesity and cancer. Conclusion: This review highlights the importance of integrating functional foods into dietary guidelines, especially in women’s health programs targeting PCOS, anemia, menopause, obesity and menstrual irregularities. Policymakers and healthcare practitioners should encourage functional food based interventions as complementary strategies to conventional therapies. Further clinical studies are recommended to standardize dosages, evaluate long-term safety and develop functional food products tailored to different stages of women’s life cycles.