Functional Food And Human Health

Global health and the increasing incidence of various diseases are a cause for concern, and doctors and scientists reason that the diet, food habits and lifestyle are contributing factors. Processed food has reduced the nutritional value of our diet, and although supplementing foods with various additives is considered an alternative, the long-term impact of this is not known. Many laboratories around the world are working to identify various nutritional components in our daily food and their effect on human health. These have been classified as Nutraceuticals or functional food, and they may have preventive and therapeutic effects in a number of pathologies associated with modern dietary habits and lifestyles. This book addresses various aspects of this issue, revitalizing the discussion and consolidating the latest research on nutritional and functional food and their effects in in-vitro, in-vivo and human clinical studies.

Functional foods and nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, and natural antioxidants have established their potential roles in the protection of human health against disease. Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods in Human Health and Disease Prevention examines the benefits, efficacy, and success of properly designed nutraceuticals and functional foods in human health and their possible application in disease prevention. The book demonstrates diverse disease pathophysiology and how nutraceuticals and functional food can be used to combat and prevent disease. The book discusses global food habits and trends, safety and toxicology, and how food addiction or overindulgence of food can lead to a variety of disease states. It then highlights how supplements help in disease prevention. Although a significant number of nutraceuticals and functional foods have demonstrated their efficacy, a large number of supplements are still surviving on false claims. Therefore, the editors underscore risks and benefits, and why government regulatory agencies are so critical of these nutraceutical supplements. With the global nutraceuticals market expected to reach $204.8 billion by 2017, what once seemed a very niche sector has become big business. An overview of nutraceuticals and functional foods and their application in human health, this book exhaustively covers antioxidants, functional foods, and nutraceuticals in human health and disease prevention. With contributions from experts and pioneers, the book gives insight into the role of functional foods in optimal diet and exercise.

In recent years, the concern of society about how food influences the health status of people has increased. Consumers are increasingly aware that food can prevent the development of certain diseases, so in recent years, the food industry is developing new, healthier products taking into account aspects such as trans fats, lower caloric intake, less salt, etc. However, there are bioactive compounds that can improve the beneficial effect of these foods and go beyond the nutritional value. This book provides information on impact of bioactive ingredients (vitamins, antioxidants, compounds of the pulses, etc.) on nutrition through food, how functional foods can prevent disease, and tools to evaluate the effects of bioactive ingredients, functional foods, and diet.

Often described as ‘nature’s perfect food’, perceptions of egg consumption and human health have evolved substantially over the past decades, in particular dietary guidelines no longer include a limit for dietary cholesterol and recommend eggs as part of healthy eating patterns. This book presents the opportunities for processing eggs to produce value-added food, nutritional, biomedical, functional food, and nutraceutical applications. It provides new evidence around egg consumption with respect to cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, weight management, mental development, eye, muscle, and ageing health. It also highlights the new discovery regarding egg bioactives that are relevant to anti-oxidants, anti-inflammation, cardiovascular and bone health, anti-microbial and anti-viral activities. Appealing to food scientists, food chemists, researchers in human nutrition specialising in eggs and dairy nutrition, and those involved in egg production, this book is reflecting the trends and innovations in this area of research.

This new volume provides important information on potential applications and new developments in functional health foods and nutraceuticals. It looks at the health-promoting properties in functional foods and beverages as well as nutraceuticals. Some health issues that are considered in conjunction with these foods and nutraceuticals include oxidative stress, obesity, pharyngitis, low cognitive concentration, among others. Research topics include the antioxidant properties of certain products, the development of functional and medicinal beverages, nutraceuticals and functional foods for alternative therapies, and more.

Food has significant societal, historical and religious roles, in addition to nutritional value. It represents cultures and customs, provides opportunities for sharing, giving and social interaction and offers nutrition, pleasure and satisfaction. Technically, all foods are functional, as they fulfill a basic human need and provide nutritive value. However, the term functional food implies an additional physiological benefit beyond meeting basic nutritional needs. Functional food is not only a dietary product providing basic nutritional function of supplying nutrients but it is also known as a health-promoting and/or disease-preventing substance. Functional food has been recognised as a separate category in the food market and it is one of the worlds most intensive areas of food product innovation. This book discusses the sources, health effects and future perspectives of functional foods.

This new volume provides important information on potential applications and new developments in functional health foods and nutraceuticals. It looks at the health-promoting properties in functional foods and beverages as well as nutraceuticals. Some health issues that are considered in conjunction with these foods and nutraceuticals include oxidative stress, obesity, pharyngitis, low cognitive concentration, among others. Research topics include the antioxidant properties of certain products, the development of functional and medicinal beverages, nutraceuticals and functional foods for alternative therapies, and more.

This new book presents a variety of important research on functional foods—foods that have another role related to disease prevention or health. The first section of the book includes chapters on the complicated relationships between nutrition, physical and mental health, and disease. Section two focuses on the connection between health science and food, and presents a number of case studies on the possible uses of functional foods. The book discusses important methods for nutritional interventions in relation to diseases such as obesity and other prominent health concerns in modern society. Topics include: Nutrigenetics and metabolic diseases Nutrition intervention strategies to improve health Nutrition consumption timing around exercise sessions Nutritional therapies for mental disorders Health benefits of particular foods, such as eggs, milk, cereal, garlic, cinnamon, nuts, blueberries, etc. Mineral- and protein-enriched foods