Exploring the Nutrition and Health Benefits of Functional Foods

Reviews and Testimonials

Editors Shekhar, Howlander, and Kabir present readers with a collection of academic and professional perspectives on the health benefits and underlying nutrition in what have been labeled as “functional foods.” The seventeen selections that make up the main body of the text are devoted to antimicrobial films, regional foods, soy products, herbal remedies, the benefits of tea, health preservation, cardiac health, and a wide variety of other related subjects.

This volume in the Advances in Environmental Engineering and Green Technologies (AEEFT) book series offers the latest research on the specifics of how particular foods can affect one’s health. Compiled from a broad perspective the book is adept at moving between the laboratory and the global “supermarket." Still, it is important to note that the material is highly specialized and targeted toward those with a solid understanding of the scientific concepts behind functional foods.
Some of the 17 chapters explore the benefits of many familiar and accessible foods (lentils, pomegranates, soy, etc.), offering biological breakdowns of effective components. Other chapters focus on research connecting foods with particular health issues, such as hypertension, degenerative disorders, and cardiovascular concerns. Other topics include “Health Benefits and Risks of Rice,” “Yerba Mate: Chemistry, Technology and Biological Properties,” and “Traditional African Foods and Their Potential to Contribute to Health and Nutrition.”
Each chapter begins with a helpful abstract to provide background and impetus for the research to follow. Information within the chapters is presented in generally concise paragraphs guided by the occasional use of headings and subheadings, data tables, and illustrations. References are recorded at the end of each chapter and compiled again at the book’s close.
Readers of this volume may also be interested in Examining the Development, Regulation and Consumption of Functional Foods, another title in the AEEFT series.