Dimensões Simbólicas Dos Saberes Tradicionais Sobre Alimentação Funcional

This article analyzes the symbolic dimensions of traditional knowledge on functional foods, exploring the interrelations between culture, spirituality, and science in the construction of food meanings. The central issue lies in the fragmentation between traditional knowledge and modern scientific validation, which often overlooks the symbolic and identity value of food within traditional communities. The study aims to understand how popular knowledge dialogues with scientific evidence on functional foods, identifying convergences and dissonances between both epistemologies. A bibliographic research and interpretative analysis methodology was adopted, based on 30 recent national and international articles. The results indicate that the integration between tradition and science broadens the understanding of food as an element of holistic health, belonging, and sustainability, demonstrating that symbolic and cultural appreciation is essential for more ethical and humanized eating practices