Phytonutrients

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Plants are a major source of nutrition in our diet, and offer an array of health benefits, yet many Western diets are still over-reliant upon animal-based foods. Growing evidence suggests that this emphasis on foods of animal origin may be linked to increased incidences of cancer and cardiovascular disorders, and that increased consumption of key plant-based foods may result in protection from some of these diseases. In fact, plants can provide us with almost all of our dietary requirements, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates and lipids, and micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Many other phytochemicals, including carotenoids, polyphenols and phytoestrogens, whilst not essential, have also been shown to be beneficial to human health. Phytonutrients covers the role of plants in the human diet and argues for the beneficial effects of many other components of plants besides the obvious nutritional elements such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It addresses the biochemistry and nutritional importance of all the major macronutrients, as well as the micronutrients and non-essential nutrients. At a time when there is growing interest amongst plant scientists in the enhancement of nutrients within crops, this book also looks at how a better understanding of plant metabolism can facilitate the application of genetic engineering, for example to enhance levels of vitamin A and folate, or the manipulation of biosynthetic pathways to introduce novel nutrients into plants. With contributions from experts in both plant science and nutrition, this is an essential purchase for nutritionists, food scientists and plant biochemists, particularly those working with nutrients from plants and their use in the human diet. Students and researchers will prize the authors' scholarship and expertise, and readers from the agrifood industry will value the book's groundbreaking findings. Whether the reader's background is in plant science or nutrition, the authors' cross-disciplinary approach will encourage understanding, dialogue and collaboration between these often disparate fields of expertise.