Nuts, including peanuts, have always been an important part of the human diet. They are nutrient-dense food products containing health-friendly lipids, beneficial phytonutrients, and other essential vitamins and minerals. Basic, clinical, and epidemiological research is now being directed towards understanding the mechanisms by which nuts influence human health and developing dietary guidelines for their optimum consumption. Research is also being directed towards the issues of fungal contamination of nuts, associated risks to human health, and methods of minimizing such risks. This book addresses these topics in chapters written by international experts in the field.

Nuts and dried fruits are part of our daily diet. They are consumed whole or as ingredients of many food products such as muffins, cereals, chocolates, energy bars, breads, and cookies, among others. Health Benefits of Nuts and Dried Fruits provides a comprehensive overview of the literature on the health benefits of nuts and dried fruits. The book summarizes the current state of knowledge in key research areas and provides ideas for future scientific research and product development. Nuts, a term that comprises tree nuts and peanuts, are highly nutritious, containing health-promoting macronutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, and bioactive phytochemicals; they are one of the edible foods with the highest content in antioxidants. The consumption of nuts is recognized for its health-promoting properties, which ranges from a consistent cholesterol-lowering effect in clinical trials to a robust association with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in prospective studies. In spite of the high energy content of nuts, there is no evidence that their frequent consumption promotes obesity, and they may even help control it. Dried fruits, which serve as important healthful snacks worldwide, are nutritionally equivalent to fresh fruits while providing all of their bioactive components in concentrated form. While the evidence level concerning the health effects of dried fruits lags behind that on nuts, it suggests that individuals who consume dried fruits regularly have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and other non-communicable diseases. Main features of the book concerning nuts and dried fruits: • Provides detailed information on health effects • Highlights current regulation and health claims • Provides updated dietary recommendations • Describes nutrient absorption and metabolism • Discusses mechanisms implicated in the health effects Although this book is intended primarily as a reference, by comprehensively reviewing the current state of knowledge it can guide future research on the topic. Among others, food scientists, biochemists, nutritionists, health professionals, decision makers, and regulatory agencies can draw much benefit from its contents. Hopefully, it will help in public health strategies to promote healthy aging and improve population wellbeing.

Nuts have been long perceived as a high-fat, high-calorie food, best avoided or consumed in moderation. However, research is showing that tree nuts are cholesterol-free and contain unsaturated fats which can help lower the risk of heart disease. Nuts also provide essential nutrients such as magnesium, chromium, zinc, and manganese. Like all plant foods they are high in fiber and phytochemicals. This book examines ten popular tree nuts and describes each nut's compositional characteristics, lipid characteristics, effects of consumption on serum lipid profiles, as well as their phytochemicals and role disease prevention. In addition the book covers allergens and uses for non-edible parts.

This book covers the nutritional and nutraceutical profiles of a wide range of popularly consumed vegetables and nuts. The first half of the book focuses on popular vegetables, and describes how higher vegetable consumption reduces the risk of diseases ranging from diabetes to osteoporosis, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases and cancer. The book also includes an interesting section on the antioxidant potential of mushrooms. In turn, the second half discusses the nutritional value of various nuts. Nuts are nutrient-dense foods with complex matrices rich in unsaturated fats, high-quality protein, fiber, minerals, tocopherols, phytosterols and phenolics. The respective chapters illustrate how the consumption of nuts could ward off chronic diseases like hypertension, cancer, inflammation, oxidative stress, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease etc. In order to effectively promote vegetable and nut consumption, it is necessary to know and understand the nutritional and nutraceutical profiles of vegetables & nuts. Given its scope, the book will be of interest to students, researchers, food scientists, olericulturists, dietitians and agricultural scientists alike. Those working in the vegetable and nut processing industries, horticultural departments and other agricultural departments will also find the comprehensive information relevant to their work.

Nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are bursting with vital nutrients. Even just a handful is rich with vitamins, minerals and fats, all of which we need, and which team up to help your heart, brain and waistline. As little as an ounce a day provides invaluable fibre, protein and immune-boosting minerals. Nuts and seeds contain mono and polyunsaturated fats, essential, healthful fats which are essential to maintaining the normal structure of every cell in our bodies. Meats, full-fat dairy, fried foods and processed foods are where the harmful forms of saturated and trans fats are found. Research shows that diets high in these unhealthy fats can lead to a host of diseases. Choosing healthy fats lowers cholesterol and enriches cell development, growth and repair.

Global dietary recommendations emphasize the consumption of plant-based foods for the prevention and management of chronic diseases. Plants contain many biologically active compounds referred to as phytochemicals or functional ingredients. These compounds play an important role in human health. Prior to establishing the safety and health benefits of these compounds, they must first be isolated, purified, and their physico-chemical properties established. Once identified, their mechanisms of actions are studied. The chapters are arranged in the order from isolation, purification and identification to in vivo and clinical studies, there by covering not only the analytical procedures used but also their nutraceutical and therapeutic properties.

Probiotic microorganisms are recognised as being beneficial for human health. Prebiotics are substrates that are used preferentially by the probiotic bacteria for their growth. A great deal of interest has been generated in recent years in identifying probiotic bacteria and prebiotics, their characterization, mechanisms of action and their role in the prevention and management of human health disorders. Together they are referred to as synbiotic. This book is in response to the need for more current and global scope of probiotics and prebiotics. It contains chapters written by internationally recognized authors. The book has been planned to meet the needs of the researchers, health professionals, government regulatory agencies and industries. This book will serve as a standard reference book in this important and fast-growing area of probiotics and prebiotics in human nutrition and health.