Phytochemicals

Phytochemicals are plant derived chemicals which may bestow health benefits when consumed, whether medicinally or as part of a balanced diet. Given that plant foods are a major component of most diets worldwide, it is unsurprising that these foods represent the greatest source of phytochemicals for most people. Yet it is only relatively recently that due recognition has been given to the importance of phytochemicals in maintaining our health. New evidence for the role of specific plant food phytochemicals in protecting against the onset of diseases such as cancers and heart disease is continually being put forward. The increasing awareness of consumers of the link between diet and health has exponentially increased the number of scientific studies into the biological effects of these substances. The Handbook of Plant Food Phytochemicals provides a comprehensive overview of the occurrence, significance and factors effecting phytochemicals in plant foods. A key of objective of the book is to critically evaluate these aspects. Evaluation of the evidence for and against the quantifiable health benefits being imparted as expressed in terms of the reduction in the risk of disease conferred through the consumption of foods that are rich in phytochemicals. With world-leading editors and contributors, the Handbook of Plant Food Phytochemicals is an invaluable, cutting-edge resource for food scientists, nutritionists and plant biochemists. It covers the processing techniques aimed at the production of phytochemical-rich foods which can have a role in disease-prevention, making it ideal for both the food industry and those who are researching the health benefits of particular foods. Lecturers and advanced students will find it a helpful and readable guide to a constantly expanding subject area.

Humans have utilized the bioactive principles of different plants for various beneficial physiological properties including antimicrobial properties for many centuries. However, interests of using medicinal plants declined in the 20th century with the availability of effective synthetic antimicrobial drugs. The development of microbial resistance to various drugs has accelerated research interests towards the use of phytochemicals as alternatives to synthetic drugs in the recent years. This book presents an comprehensive reviews on the antimicrobial and antiviral properties of numerous recently reported phytochemicals, and their mechanisms of antimicrobial actions. Some of the chapters have critically discussed the beneficial and adverse effects of antibacterial, and stimulatory activities of dietary phytochemicals on rumen microbial populations, and gut microbial populations of humans and animals. Microbial adaptation and resistance of microbes to phytochemicals has also been highlighted. On the applied apects, the use of phytochemicals against drug resistance microbes, to treat microbial diseases, for food preservation, to inhibit methanogenic archaea in the rumen, and to modulate lipid biohydrogenating microbial populations to increase conjugated linoleic acids in animal-derived foods have been presented in different chapters.

Fruit and Vegetable Phytochemicals: Chemistry, Nutritional Value and Stability provides scientists in the areas of food technology and nutrition with accessible and up-to-date information about the chemical nature, classification and analysis of the main phytochemicals present in fruits and vegetables – polyphenols and carotenoids. Special care is taken to analyze the health benefits of these compounds, their interaction with fiber, antioxidant and other biological activities, as well as the degradation processes that occur after harvest and minimal processing.

Phytochemicals are bioactive compounds found in natural sources, particularly in plant foods. These elements work with the existing nutrients and fiber in fruits and vegetables to boost the body's immune system to make it resistant to diseases and infections. Filling up one's diet with fruits and vegetables that are rich in phytochemicals lowers the risk of developing chronic diseases like cancer, heart diseases, and diabetes. Its antioxidant properties also help in protecting the body from free radicals in the environment and the food we eat. As cancer-causing agents are deactivated and controlled, you can live a healthier and happier life. If you want to know more about phytochemicals and its effects on the body then "Phytochemicals: What You Should Know - A Quick Booklet about Phytonutrients" help you learn about: How Phytochemicals Work Most Common Phytochemicals Found in Fruits and Vegetables Carotenoids Flavonoids Sulphoraphane Limonene Indoles Allium Compound Characteristics and Colors of Phytochemicals in Fruits and Veggies Red Green Blue and Purple Yellow and Orange White/ Brown/ Tan A to Z of Fruits and Vegetables that are Rich in Phytochemicals Benefits of Phytochemicals Variety Matters Food Processing and Phytochemicals Phytochemicals as Protection from Diseases Get a copy of this book today and discover how phytochemicals can help you live a healthier life.

Increasing knowledge of the various protective effects of phytochemicals has sparked interest in further understanding their role in human health. Phytochemicals: Health Promotion and Therapeutic Potential is the seventh in a series representing the emerging science with respect to plant-based chemicals. Drawn from the proceedings at the Seventh In

This book presents comprehensive coverage on the importance of good nutrition in the treatment and management of obesity, cancer and diabetes. Naturally occurring bioactive compounds are ubiquitous in most dietary plants available to humans and provide opportunities for the management of diseases. The text provides information about the major causes of these diseases and their association with nutrition. The text also covers the role of dietary phytochemicals in drug development and their pathways. Later chapters emphasize novel bioactive compounds as anti-diabetic, anti-cancer and anti-obesity agents and describe their mechanisms to regulate cell metabolism. Written by global team of experts, Dietary Phytochemicals: A Source of Novel Bioactive Compounds for the Treatment of Obesity, Cancer and Diabetes describes the potentials of novel phytochemicals, their sources, and underlying mechanism of action. The chapters were drawn systematically and incorporated sequentially to facilitate proper understanding. This book is intended for nutritionists, physicians, medicinal chemists, drug developers in research and development, postgraduate students and scientists in area of nutrition and life sciences.

The book provides facts of fruits and their role in curing of diseases with cell line or animal studies and their pharmacological evidence would help the readers to understand the subject in greater depth. It provides information on the subject and will help researchers to carry the interest forward. The book links the traditional knowledge available on each fruit crop regarding their curative properties and the information on their scientific validation. The contents have been organized crop wise in a logical sequence, with references been provided at the end of each chapter for further reading and better understanding of the subject.The book will help the students/ researchers/ scientists and common man alike to look at the fruits as protective foods not just because it is said so, but with a scientific explanation. Note: T&F does not sell or distribute the hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. This title is co-published with NIPA.

Phytochemicals, consumed as part of the diet, improve human health by lowering its risk and preventing chronic diseases. Fruits, vegetables, chocolate, pulses, and teas, among others, are rich sources of phytochemicals; however, only a certain amount has been isolated and identified. Moreover, the wide diversity of these compounds requires optimized extraction methodologies for further characterization and evaluation of healthy properties. This Special Issue addresses interdisciplinary research related to phytochemicals, highlighting their dietary sources, innovative extraction methodologies, and their effects on human health. Seven papers have been selected for further contribution to phytochemical studies.