Potential Health Benefits of Plant Food-Derived Bioactive Components: An Overview

Abstract

Plant foods are consumed worldwide due to their immense energy density and nutritive value. Their consumption has been following an increasing trend due to several metabolic disorders linked to non-vegetarian diets. In addition to their nutritive value, plant foods contain several bioactive constituents that have been shown to possess health-promoting properties. Plant-derived bioactive compounds, such as biologically active proteins, polyphenols, phytosterols, biogenic amines, carotenoids, etc., have been reported to be beneficial for human health, for instance in cases of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, as well as for people with gut, immune function, and neurodegenerative disorders. Previous studies have reported that bioactive components possess antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties, in addition to improving intestinal barrier functioning etc., which contribute to their ability to mitigate the pathological impact of various human diseases. This review describes the bioactive components derived from fruit, vegetables, cereals, and other plant sources with health promoting attributes, and the mechanisms responsible for the bioactive properties of some of these plant components. This review mainly compiles the potential of food derived bioactive compounds, providing information for researchers that may be valuable for devising future strategies such as choosing promising bioactive ingredients to make functional foods for various non-communicable disorders.

The Combination of Mild Salinity Conditions and Exogenously Applied Phenolics Modulates Functional Traits in Lettuce

“…Plant foods are consumed globally as a source of minerals, vitamins, fiber, and other health-promoting compounds, and their consumption is recognized to decrease the risk of metabolic disorders, chronic conditions, and non-communicable diseases [ 1 , 2 ],. Among others, plant-based foods reduce the risk of diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases [ 3 , 4 ] because, in addition to micro- and macronutrients, they contain many bioactive components such as flavanols, carotenoids, and anthocyanins which have been shown to have health-promoting properties. Phenolic compounds are the most abundant secondary metabolites in plants, accumulating in all tissues and organs, and are at the center of research due to their antioxidant, anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic effects [ 5 , 6 ].…”

The Preparation, Antioxidant Activity Evaluation, and Iron-Deficient Anemic Improvement of Oat (Avena sativa L.) Peptides–Ferrous Chelate

“…These data mean that the oat protein will have a higher application prospect than other plant proteins. Oat bioactive peptides have been proved to have a good antioxidant activity ( 8 ), and hypotensive and hypoglycemic activities ( 15 , 16 ). Karas et al ( 17 ) also found that oat peptides are structurally similar to epidermal cell growth factor (EGF), which could be easily absorbed by the skin, and then improve skin metabolism.…”

A Smartphone-Based Chemosensor to Evaluate Antioxidants in Agri-Food Matrices by In Situ AuNP Formation

“…Recent progress in medicine and nutrition is shifting the traditional healthcare approach towards precision medicine, which prioritizes diseases’ prevention and health promotion mainly through lifestyle and diet-based approaches [ 3 ]. In this context, plant-derived antioxidants, such as flavonoids, vitamins, hormones, phenolic acids, and esters, are considered bioactive dietary compounds able to reduce oxidative stress and have been associated with several health benefits [ 4 ]. There is therefore a growing trend in consumer preferences towards natural antioxidants and in the industrial use of antioxidant-rich plant extracts in food and beverage formulations.…”