China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
An Overview of Molecular Nutrition
Published in Nicole M. Farmer, Andres Victor Ardisson Korat, Cooking for Health and Disease Prevention, 2022
Vincent W. Li, Catherine Ward, Delaney K. Schurr
During the course of absorption, phytochemicals such as polyphenols are conjugated in the small intestine and later in the liver. This process mainly includes methylation, sulfation, and glucuronidation. This is a metabolic detoxication process common to many xenobiotics that restricts their potential toxic effects and facilitates their biliary and urinary elimination by increasing their hydrophilicity. Quercetin, catechin, caffeic acid, and luteolin are some of the polyphenols known to undergo this metabolism process. Dietary fiber is generally associated with phytonutrients in plant foods. Fiber may stimulate intestinal fermentation, which could influence the production of particular microbial metabolites. Hydroxy-cinnamic acids, which are naturally esterified in foods and thus cannot be absorbed in the small intestine, depend upon colonic microflora to break the ester bonds to allow for absorption in the large intestine. And the flavonoid, rutin, is complexed with the polysaccharide rhamnose. This linkage prevents absorption from occurring until colonic microflora can break the rhamnose molecule.
Panax quinquefolium (American Ginseng) and Physostigma venenosum (Calabar Bean)
Published in Azamal Husen, Herbs, Shrubs, and Trees of Potential Medicinal Benefits, 2022
Sushweta Mahalanobish, Noyel Ghosh, Parames C. Sil
To keep up the normal body homeostasis, consumption of a healthy diet rich in natural active ingredients is highly appreciable. Natural compounds are extremely beneficial in protecting our health, and thus, naturally derived compounds have gained crucial attention among the research community. Naturally extracted phytonutrients prevent the onset of several health complications, improve clinical outcomes of a number of diseases, and reduce various side effects associated with chemotherapeutic and radiotherapeutic treatments (Gupta and Prakash, 2014). Phytonutrients, when taken regularly as supplements along with a balanced diet, reduce stress, delay aging, and improve overall health conditions due to their inherent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory activities. Besides, they are chemo-preventive, antiallergic, hypolipidemic, CNS stimulating, antidiabetic, etc., thus, they keep diseases at a bay (Mahalanobish et al., 2019). Epidemiological studies reveal that people who consume a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and other plant-derived products have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, etc. (Anand et al. 2015, Aune et al. 2017).
Optimal Nutrition for Women
Published in Michelle Tollefson, Nancy Eriksen, Neha Pathak, Improving Women's Health Across the Lifespan, 2021
Kayli Anderson, Kaitlyn Pauly, Debra Shapiro, Vera Dubovoy
Phytonutrients are phytochemicals present in certain foods and play a role in the maintenance of human health and prevention of diseases. Their regular and adequate intake may offer protection from major chronic diseases, including cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. There are over 25,000 phytonutrients from different phytochemical classes including anthocyanins, carotenoids, coumarins, flavonoids, diarylalkanoids, lignans, phenolic acids, polyphenols, sterols, and terpenes, which have been found exclusively in plant foods.38
Plant-Derived Natural Non-Nucleoside Analog Inhibitors (NNAIs) against RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Complex (nsp7/nsp8/nsp12) of SARS-CoV-2
Published in Journal of Dietary Supplements, 2023
Sreus A. G. Naidu, Ghulam Mustafa, Roger A. Clemens, A. Satyanarayan Naidu
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has globally initiated an extensive high through-put screening for potent plant-based natural NNAIs against SARS-CoV-2 RdRp enzyme. Potent and promising bioactive phytonutrients are being identified by in silico molecular docking studies and evaluated for viral protein-ligand (‘inhibitor’) binding affinities to SARS-CoV-2 gene-encoded molecular targets. Finally, taking advantage of nontoxic properties or absence of side effects in human applications, phytonutrients are directly compared for functional efficacy with prominent antiviral drugs (i.e. ‘remdesivir’, the US-FDA approved drug for treatment of severe COVID-19 cases), and such promising natural bioactive compounds derived from plant-sources are currently subjected for human clinical testing worldwide.
Influence of a Novel Food-Grade Formulation of Red Chili Extract (Capsicum annum) on Overweight Subjects: Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Study
Published in Journal of Dietary Supplements, 2021
Ashil Joseph, MSc, Febi John, PhD, Jestin V. Thomas, MSc, Syam Das, PhD Sivadasan, Balu Maliakel, PhD, Ratheesh Mohan, PhD, Krishnakumar I. M.
Natural compounds or extracts having antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, thermogenic, lipolytic and hypolipidemic activities as well as the inhibitors of lipogenesis and adipogenesis have shown to be of great therapeutic importance in weight management (Karri et al. 2019). Calcium and potassium salts of hydroxy citric acids derived from Garcinia combogia have been reported as the inhibitors of lipogenesis to prevent the conversion of carbohydrates to fat (Heymsfield et al. 1998). Phytonutrients like resveratrol, genistein, catechins, ginseng root extract and p-synephrine in bitter orange were shown to offer some benefits in obesity due to their antioxidant effects (Stohs et al. 2012; Mousavi et al. 2019). Capsaicinoids, the pungent principles of Chili pepper (Capsicum annum and Capsicum frutescens), is yet another substance that has been demonstrated to possess various pharmacological activities including fat metabolism (lipolysis), adipogenesis, energy-burning (thermogenesis), anti-inflammatory and hypolipidemic effects beneficial for weight management (Janssens et al. 2013; Chen et al. 2015; Clark and Lee 2016).
Nutrition Provides the Essential Foundation for Optimizing Mental Health
Published in Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 2021
Julia J. Rucklidge, Jeanette M. Johnstone, Bonnie J. Kaplan
There are other components of nutrition that are important for brain health, such as the essential fatty acids (especially omega 3s) that are particularly critical for brain development in children’s early years (Huffman et al., 2011; McNamara & Carlson, 2006), amino acids (building blocks of proteins), carbohydrates (for energy) that North Americans usually consume in sufficient quantities, and thousands of phytonutrients (plant-based nutrients), which help prevent disease. The reason for focusing on minerals and vitamins is, in part, because they are generally taken for granted, in spite of their vital daily influence on mental health. Also, their importance for brain function has been understood for decades yet surprisingly, this information is not yet part of standard educational curricula for psychologists and mental health professionals.