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.

Dried fruits serve as important healthful snack items around the world. They provide a concentrated form of fresh fruits, prepared by different drying techniques. With their unique combination of taste/aroma, essential nutrients, fibre, and phytochemicals or bioactive compounds, dried fruits are convenient for healthy eating and can bridge the gap between recommended intake of fruits and actual consumption. Dried fruits are nutritionally equivalent to fresh fruits, in smaller serving sizes, in the current dietary recommendations of various countries. Scientific evidence suggests that individuals who regularly consume generous amounts of dried fruits have lower rates of cardiovascular disease, obesity, various types of cancer, type-2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Dried fruits also have the advantage of being easy to store and distribute, available around the year, readily incorporated into other foods and recipes, and present a healthy alternative to salty or sugary snacks. Dried Fruits: Phytochemicals and Health Effects is divided into three sections preceded by introductory chapters that provide an overview of dried fruits (their composition, phytochemicals and health applications) as well as the cancer chemopreventive effects of selected dried fruits (amla fruits or Indian gooseberries, avocados, berries, mangoes, mangosteens, persimmons, prunes, raisins, kiwi fruits, and other dried fruits). The first section covers the most popular dried berries (blackberries, blackcurrants, blueberries, cranberries, goji berries, mulberries, raspberries, and strawberries); the second section discusses non-tropical dried fruits (apples, apricots, cherries, citrus fruits, figs, nectarines, peaches, pears, prunes, and raisins); and the final section addresses tropical dried fruits (açai fruits, bananas, dates, guavas, papayas, mangoes, passion fruits, and pineapples). Contributors to this volume are internationally renowned researchers who have provided a comprehensive account of the global perspectives of the issues relating to phytochemicals and health effects of dried fruits. The book will serve as a resource for those interested in the potential application of new developments in dried fruits’ nutraceuticals and functional foods. Biochemists, chemists, food scientists/technologists, nutritionists, and health professionals, from academia, government laboratories, and industry will benefit from this publication. Although this book is intended primarily as a reference book, it also summarises the current state of knowledge in key research areas and contains ideas for future work. In addition, it provides easy to read text suitable for teaching senior undergraduate and post-graduate students.

The debut cookbook from the powerhouse blogger behind theblendergirl.com, featuring 100 gluten-free, vegan recipes for smoothies, meals, and more made quickly and easily in a blender. What’s your perfect blend? On her wildly popular recipe blog, Tess Masters—aka, The Blender Girl—shares easy plant-based recipes that anyone can whip up fast in a blender. Tess’s lively, down-to-earth approach has attracted legions of fans looking for quick and fun ways to prepare healthy food. In The Blender Girl, Tess’s much-anticipated debut cookbook, she offers 100 whole-food recipes that are gluten-free and vegan, and rely on natural flavors and sweeteners. Many are also raw and nut-, soy-, corn-, and sugar-free. Smoothies, soups, and spreads are a given in a blender cookbook, but this surprisingly versatile collection also includes appetizers, salads, and main dishes with a blended component, like Fresh Spring Rolls with Orange-Almond Sauce, Twisted Caesar Pleaser, Spicy Chickpea Burgers with Portobello Buns and Greens, and I-Love-Veggies! Bake. And even though many of Tess’s smoothies and shakes taste like dessert—Apple Pie in a Glass, Raspberry-Lemon Cheesecake, or Tastes-Like-Ice- Cream Kale, anyone?—her actual desserts are out-of this-world good, from Chocolate-Chile Banana Spilly to Flourless Triple-Pecan Mousse Pie and Chai Rice Pudding. Best of all, every recipe can easily be adjusted to your personal taste: add an extra squeeze of this, another handful of that, or leave something out altogether— these dishes are super forgiving, so you can’t mess them up. Details on the benefits of soaking, sprouting, and dehydrating; proper food combining; and eating raw, probiotic-rich, and alkaline ingredients round out this nutrient-dense guide. But you don’t have to understand the science of good nutrition to run with The Blender Girl—all you need is a blender and a sense of adventure. So dust off your machine and get ready to find your perfect blend.

Public television cooking show host Christina Pirello is the woman who put the fun back into healthy cooking. In Christina Cooks she's responded to the hundreds of questions that her viewers and readers have put to her over the years-with lots of sound, sane advice, hints, tips and techniques-plus loads of great recipes for scrumptious, healthy meals with a Mediterranean flair. A whole foods cookbook, Christina Cooks offers inventive ideas for breakfast, special occasions, and what to feed the kids. Chapters include Soups, Breakfast, Kids' Favorites, Beans, Grains, Vegetables, Beverages, and Desserts-Christina addresses popular myths about dairy and protein amongst other often misunderstood ideas about healthful eating.

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.