Polyphenols and carotenoids are abundant in fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, and beverages, such as tea, cocoa and wine providing health-related benefits and antioxidant properties. Focusing on non-extractable polyphenols and carotenoids that are present in the diet, this book will improve our knowledge of dietary intakes and physiological properties ensuring a better understanding of their potential health effects. With global appeal, this will be the first book dedicated to raising the profile of this important area. Summarising the current knowledge in the field, the book will direct further research for food chemists, scientists and nutritionists looking for new perspectives.

Polyphenols in Plants assists plant scientists and dietary supplement producers in assessing polyphenol content and factors affecting their composition. It also aids in selecting sources and regulating environmental conditions affecting yield for more consistent and function dietary supplements. Polyphenols play key roles in the growth, regulation and structure of plants and vary widely within different plants. Stress, growth conditions and plant species modify polyphenol structure and content. This book describes techniques to identify, isolate and characterize polyphenols, taking mammalian toxicology into account as well. - Defines conditions of growth affecting the polyphenol levels - Describes assay and instrumentation techniques critical to identifying and defining polyphenols, critical to researchers and business development - Documents how some polyphenols are dangerous to consume, important to dietary supplement industry, government regulators and lay public users

The scientific world and modern society today is experiencing the dawning of an era of herbal medicine. Extensive research has shown that aromatic plants are important anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti aging and immune boosting delectable foods, with the magic and miracle to boost our immune system providing us with extended and an improved quality of life. Apart from making bland recipes into welcoming or interesting victories, herbs and spices have stirred the minds of the research community to look deeper into its active components from a functional perspective. It is essential to present the scientific and medicinal aspect of herbs and spices together with the analysis of constituents, its medicinal application, toxicology and its physiological effects. Herbs and spices with high levels of antioxidants are in great demand as they tend to promote health and prevent diseases naturally assuring increased safety and reliability for consumers. Herbs and spices are not only known for taste and flavor, but today research has opened up a new realm in which the antioxidant properties of these aromatic plants provide preservation for foods and health benefits for consumers who look forward to concrete scientific research to guide them further and explore herbal medicine. The aim of this book is to create awareness in society about the reliability of medicinal properties of certain herbs and spices through scientific and scholarly research.

Offers concise coverage of spices and herbs from basic science to the most recent developments in spice functions and applications. Introduces a new patterning theory of extensive spice use in various types of food preparations.

“Antioxidant Activity of Polyphenolic Plant Extracts” is a collection of scientific articles regarding polyphenols, that is, substances occurring naturally in plants and exhibiting many beneficial effects on human health. Among polyphenols’ interesting biological properties, their antioxidant activity is considered the most important. This book brings together experts from different research fields on topics related to polyphenols, such as their isolation and purification, assessment of their antioxidant activity, prevention from oxidative stress-induced diseases and use as food additives. The polyphenols used in the present studies are derived from a great variety of plants, ranging from well-known species to rare ones that are only found in specific regions. Moreover, some of the studies provide evidence that polyphenols may be used for the prevention and treatment of common diseases such as diabetes mellitus, Alzheimers’ disease, cardiovascular and intestinal diseases. Importantly, in several of the studies “green extraction methods” for the isolation of polyphenols were developed using modern technologies, where few or no organic solvents were used, in order to minimize environmental and health impacts.

This book provides state-of-the-art discussion of natural antioxidants from dietary sources, their occurrence, health effects, chemistry, and methodologies. The book summarizes data on the occurrence of antioxidative compounds in cereals and legumes, oilseeds, herbs and spices, vegetables, teas, muscle foods, and other commodities. The antioxidant vitamins and enzymes also are thoroughly discussed. The potential beneficial effects of dietary antioxidants, the chemistry of food antioxidants, and methodologies to assess lipid oxidation and antioxidant activity also have been covered.

This work responds to the need to find, in a sole document, the affect of oxidative stress at different levels, as well as treatment with antioxidants to revert and diminish the damage. Oxidative Stress and Chronic Degenerative Diseases - a Role for Antioxidants is written for health professionals by researchers at diverse educative institutions (Mexico, Brazil, USA, Spain, Australia, and Slovenia). I would like to underscore that of the 19 chapters, 14 are by Mexican researchers, which demonstrates the commitment of Mexican institutions to academic life and to the prevention and treatment of chronic degenerative diseases.