This book provides a comprehensive review of the antioxidant value of widely consumed fruits. Each chapter covers the botanical description, nutritional & health properties of these popular fruits. Fruits are one of the most important indicators of dietary quality and offer protective effects against several chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and various types of cancer. In order to effectively promote fruit consumption, it is necessary to know and understand the components of fruits. In addition to underscoring the importance of fruit consumption’s effects on human diet, the book addresses the characterization of the chemical compounds that are responsible for the antioxidant proprieties of various fruits. Given its scope, the book will be of interest to graduate and post-graduate students, research scholars, academics, pomologists and agricultural scientists alike. Those working in various fruit processing industries and other horticultural departments will also find the comprehensive information relevant to their work.

Nutritional Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Fruits and Vegetables provides an overview of the nutritional and anti-nutritional composition, antioxidant potential, and health benefits of a wide range of commonly consumed fruits and vegetables. The book presents a comprehensive overview on a variety of topics, including inflorescence, flowers and flower buds (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage), bulb, stem and stalk (onion, celery, asparagus, celery), leaves (watercress, lettuce, spinach), fruit and seed (peppers, squash, tomato, eggplant, green beans), roots and tubers (red beet, carrots, radish), and fruits, such as citrus (orange, lemon, grapefruit), berries (blackberry, strawberry, lingonberry, bayberry, blueberry), melons (pumpkin, watermelon), and more. Each chapter, contributed by an international expert in the field, also discusses the factors influencing antioxidant content, such as genotype, environmental variation and agronomic conditions. Contains detailed information on nutritional and anti-nutritional composition for commonly consumed fruits and vegetables Presents recent epidemiological information on the health benefits of fresh produce Provides in-depth information about the antioxidant properties of a range of fruits and vegetables

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.

Strawberry is among the most widely consumed fruits in the world and its cultivation is increasing worldwide. It is a microclimatic crop, which means that its behaviour may vary considerably depending on many agronomical and environmental factors such as temperature, light, moisture, soil type, etc. Strawberry production requires the input of large amounts of water because of its shallow rooting system, its high leaf area and the large water content of the fruit. This book discusses the cultivation of strawberries as well as the antioxidant properties and health benefits of consuming them.

Provides detailed information on identity, nature, bioavailability, chemopreventative effects and postharvest stability of specific chemical classes with known bioactive properties.

This book is mainly based on the latest research results and applications of phenolic and polyphenolic compounds. Phenolic compounds, ubiquitous in plants, are an essential part of the human diet and are of considerable interest due to their antioxidant properties and potential beneficial health effects. These compounds range structurally from a simple phenolic molecule to complex high-molecular-weight polymers. There is increasing evidence that consumption of a variety of phenolic compounds present in foods may lower the risk of health disorders because of their antioxidant activity. When added to foods, antioxidants control rancidity development, retard the formation of toxic oxidation products, maintain nutritional quality and extend the shelf-life of products. Due to safety concerns and limitation on the use of synthetic antioxidants, natural antioxidants obtained from edible materials, edible by-products and residual sources have been of increasing interest. This contribution summarizes both the synthetic and natural phenolic antioxidants, emphasizing their mode of action, health effects, degradation products and toxicology. In addition, sources of phenolic antioxidants are discussed in detail.

Recently for the prevention and treatment of many neurologic, metabolic and other chronic diseases, the focus has shifted from allopathic Western medicine to alternative and complementary medicine in many countries including the United States of America. In fact, some dietary supplements including herbs, vegetables, nuts and fruits have demonstrated promising outcomes in improving human health. Among them, pomegranate is one of the exotic fruits that has been known for its valuable effects.Pomegranate (Punica granatum), one of the oldest known fruits belongs to the family Lythraceae. It is believed to have originated in Persia and have several varieties. At present, pomegranates are grown in many Middle Eastern, Asian, European and other Western countries, including the United States of America. Pomegranates have been used for thousands of years in treating a wide variety of diseases in ancient times and currently used to treat many complications, including; pregnancy, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, prostate cancer and male infertility. The beneficial effects of pomegranate have been revealed in the writings of many cultures and religions, since they were grown in abundance in all ancient civilizations. Pomegranates have been appreciated for their beautiful color and flavor, and health benefits since ancient times. The edible juicy ruby red arils are full of antioxidants and are considered the healthiest part of the fruit. Fortunately, the century-old description of the pomegranate as a healthy fruit among all others still holds its integrity due to the presence of antioxidants, vitamins B6 and C, minerals, andfiber.Accumulated evidence suggests that naturally occurring phytocompounds, such as polyphenolic antioxidants found in pomegranate may potentially hinder neurodegeneration and improve memory, cognition and other brain functions. The effects of pomegranate as a medicine in neurological and other diseases are discussed in this book. This book will benefit students at various levels of academia, scientists in several disciplines (such as alternative medicine, nutrition, neuroscience, agriculture, food science, and medicine) and many others interested in this discipline. This book may become a part of the curriculum at various universities globally.