Nutraceuticals cardiovascular health

Virgin, R, Scaccini, C., Hoppe, RR, Kramer, K., andRackerL., Riant phenols and cardiovascular disease Antioxidants and modulators of cell response. In Nutraceuticals in Health and Disease Prevention. K. Kramer (Ed.), Marcel Dekker, New York, pp. 187-214, 2001. 

Stabilized whole rice bran is rich in protein, lipids, dietary fiber, vitamins, essential minerals, and important nutraceuticals such as phospholipids, choline, inositol, phytosterols, tocols, and tocotrienols. Tocols and tocotrienols are potent antioxidants that reduce the risk of cancers and CVD. The whole rice bran is stabUized in order to denature lipases that cause oxidative rancidity and to protect the intrinsic nutraceutical compounds. The stabilization of the rice bran is usually done by applying heat in an extrnder. The preservation of the oryzanol is of utmost importance because this compound is very effective in promoting cardiovascular health (Hoffpauer 2005). 

Seaweeds are a good source of some water- (Bj, B2, B,2, C) and fat-soluble (P-carotene with vitamin A activity, vitamin E) vitamins. To ensure that the adequate intake of all vitamins is received in the diet, people (especially peopleon specialdiet, strict vegetarians, and vegans) can consume foods enriched with vitamins, for example, in the form of functional foods with vitamins as nutraceuticals, extracted from natural sources such as seaweeds. Seaweed vitamins are important not only due to their biochemical functions and antioxidant activity but also due to other health benefits such as decreasing of blood pressure (vitamin C), prevention of cardiovascular diseases (P-carotene), or reducing the risk of cancer (vitamins E and C, carotenoids). 

Functional foods represent one of the most interesting areas of research and innovation in food industry. Actually, the role of a balanced nutrition is not only to ensure an adequate intake of nutrients to efficiently enable all metabolic processes but also to contribute to sustained human health. Plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which contain significant amounts of bioactive phytochemicals also known as nutraceuticals, may provide desirable health benefits beyond basic nutrition to significantly reduce the incidence of chronic diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and... 

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