Role of nutraceuticals in human health

Abstract

Nutraceutical is the hybrid of 'nutrition' and 'pharmaceutical'. Nutraceuticals, in broad, are food or part of food playing a significant role in modifying and maintaining normal physiological function that maintains healthy human beings. The principal reasons for the growth of the nutraceutical market worldwide are the current population and the health trends. The food products used as nutraceuticals can be categorized as dietary fibre, prebiotics, probiotics, polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants and other different types of herbal/ natural foods. These nutraceuticals help in combating some of the major health problems of the century such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, cholesterol etc. In whole, 'nutraceutical' has lead to the new era of medicine and health, in which the food industry has become a research oriented sector.

Sodium butyrate in chicken nutrition: the dynamics of performance, gut microbiota, gut morphology, and immunity

“…Ideally, alternatives to antibiotics should have the same advantageous properties. Isolated nutrients (amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins), dietary supplements (probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, organic acids, antioxidants, and enzymes), herbal products (polyphenols, herbs, and spices) and genetically modified foods have been extensively studied in search of alternatives (Das et al, 2012). Among these alternatives, organic acids are considered to be popular and suitable for in-feed use.…”

Use of corn oil in the production of Turkish white cheese

“…In many studies, it has been stated that saturated fatty acids increase blood cholesterol levels, but monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids decrease blood cholesterol levels (Melsink and Katan 1989). Polyunsaturated fatty acids are also called "essential fatty acids" as these are crucial to the body's function and are introduced externally through the diet (Das et al 2012). The recommended ratio of the polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratios (PUFA/SFA) should be higher than 0.4 (Wood et al 2003).…”

Plum pomaces as a potential source of dietary fibre: composition and antioxidant properties

“…Dietary fibre, especially its soluble fraction (SDF) appears to have health-beneficial properties, like selectively lowering serum LDL cholesterol, improving glucose tolerance and promoting Bifidobacteria in gut (Das et al 2011;Ahmed et al 2011). Pomace a by-product of juice processing contains high quantity of dietary fibre, up to 64.5% in case of plum pomace, moreover considerable amounts of polyphenols thus should no longer be considered as a waste product but rather as a raw material for a production of diet supplements (Schieber et al 2003;ADA 2008;Dikenam et al 2004;Ramulu and Rao 2003;Lucas et al 2004).…”