Wild Plants, Mushrooms and Nuts

Functional Food Properties and Applications

Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira, Patricia Morales, Lillian Barros, Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira, Patricia Morales, Lillian Barros

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN: 9781118944622
• eBook ISBN: 9781118944646
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Food Science
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Wild Plants, Mushrooms and Nuts: Functional Properties and Food Applications is a compendium of current and novel research on the chemistry, biochemistry, nutritional and pharmaceutical value of traditional food products, namely wild mushrooms, plants and nuts, which are becoming more relevant in diets, and are especially useful for developing novel health foods and in modern natural food therapies.
Topics covered will range from their nutritional value, chemical and biochemical characterization, to their multifunctional applications as food with beneficial effects on health, though their biological and pharmacological properties (antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antitumor capacity, among others).

1
Introduction: The Increasing Demand for Functional Foods

Natália Martins¹, Patricia Morales², Lillian Barros¹, and Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira¹

¹ Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), School of Agriculture, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Portugal

² Department of Nutrition and Bromatology II, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain

1.1 Food Patterns: A Cross‐sectional Approach and Brief Overview

Primitive societies often lack resources but have always emphasized the role of nutrition in maintaining good health and wellbeing (Balch 2006; Murray & Pizzorno 2005, 2012). So, the idea of a balanced and wholefood‐enriched diet to ensure homeostasis and improve life expectancy is not new.

Concomitantly with the intensification of the globalization process and advances in the food industry, a pronounced increase in public health problems has been observed. Health‐related economic and social costs have risen to represent a significant percentage of worldwide expenditure (American Dietetic Association 2009; Arvanitoyannis & Houwelingen‐Koukaliaroglou 2005). Public health problems affect all sectors of society – elderly, adults, children, and adolescents. Therefore, the deployment of prevention strategies seems to be essential, not only to avoid the progression of this worldwide problem but also to try and restore the balanced food patterns and proper lifestyle of individuals.

Infectious diseases were the most frequent causes of morbidity and mortality among the first civilizations, mainly attributed to poor hygiene conditions, and efforts were made to reduce the incidence of outbreaks of infection and epidemics. Nowadays, research is carried out to find even more effective and specific chemical drugs, allegedly able to treat modern disorders, although most of them can be eradicated just through lifestyle modifications. Metabolic disorders and related problems are some of the most important current contributors to human morbidity and mortality. Overweight and obesity, considered the epidemic of the 21st century, increasingly affects all age groups, with children being the most vulnerable (Arvanitoyannis & Houwelingen‐Koukaliaroglou 2005; Bagchi 2006).

Hippocrates said that “whatever be the father of a disease, the mother is always a bad diet” (Longe 2005; Murray & Pizzorno 2005, 2012). Linked with the increasing incidence of metabolic disorders has been a demand for new food products. Addictive behavior, feelings of pleasure, and palatability are the main determinants of food choices in modern civilization (Balch 2006; Jauho & Niva 2013; Murray & Pizzorno 2005). Thus, it is not surprising that rates of chronic disorders, most of them food pattern related, have reached epidemic levels, and are likely to increase in the coming years.

1.2 Nutrition and Health: Facts and Tendencies

1.2.1 Evidence‐based Medicine: Past to Present

There are numerous reports and historical manuscripts proving data about the applications of botanicals and plant food preparations, for both nutritional and medicinal uses (Khan & Abourashed 2010; Longe 2005; Murray & Pizzorno 2012; Vanaclocha & Cañigueral 2003). Traditional medicine dates back to the dawn of human civilization; primitive societies used botanical preparations and even plant food derivatives for medicinal, culinary, preservative, and aromatizing purposes (Ferreira et al. 2009; Junio et al. 2011; Rubió et al. 2013; Sahib et al. 2013; Spelman et al. 2006; Sung et al. 2011; Viuda‐Martos et al. 2010; Zheng & Wang 2001). Numerous attributes were conferred on ethnopharmacological preparations, which have been increasingly validated through epidemiological, preclinical, and even clinical studies (American Dietetic Association 2009; Ferguson 2009; Sung et al. 2011; Viuda‐Martos et al. 2010). Primitive societies gained knowledge about identification, culture and ideal harvesting conditions, indications, contraindications, side‐effects, and toxicity of natural products, as well as recommended dosages (Balch & Stengler 2004; Balch et al. 2008; Murray & Pizzorno 2012; Vanaclocha & Cañigueral 2003). Therefore, early civilizations discovered a multitude of natural product potentialities and applications but because of the lack of scientific evidence, they could not pinpoint the main responsible active principles. More recent researchers, aiming to deepen knowledge in this area, have often used previous findings to guide their current studies.

In relation to the nutritional and medicinal use of natural products, it is important to highlight direct consumption as part of the daily diet but they are also used as flavorings, preservatives, flavor intensifiers, and so on (Balch 2006; Balch & Stengler 2004; Khan & Abourashed 2010; Longe 2005; Murray 2004; Murray & Pizzorno 2005; Vanaclocha & Cañigueral 2003). Research has been focused not only on their health improvement effects but also their organoleptic properties.

In spite of cultural, ethnic, and religious patterns, the importance of a balanced diet is clearly evident. Since earliest times, human beings have understood that a balanced diet is crucial to survival and to maintain good health and wellbeing (Balch 2006; Murray & Pizzorno 2005, 2012). Dietary information has been passed through generations. The difference between edible and nonedible products was determined over time, including toxic potential and unpleasant side‐effects. Different forms of preparation and cooking were developed, including the use of botanicals as herbs and spices to improve taste and general acceptability of food. At the same time, ways to improve the shelf‐life of numerous products were found, and to prevent the occurrence of organoleptic changes (Balch & Stengler 2004; Khan & Abourashed 2010; Murray 2004; Murray & Pizzorno 2005). The discovery of the prophylactic and therapeutic potentialities of botanicals required thousands of years of observation and analysis. There are no doubts about the direct impact of a balanced diet and lifestyle to ensure good health and wellbeing. In fact, 2500 years ago, Hippocrates highlighted the real value of nutrition, of health‐conscious eating habits, and adequate preparation of meals as important contributors to long‐lasting wellbeing (American Dietetic Association 2009; Biziulevičius & Kazlauskaitė 2007; Sung et al. 2011; Wegener 2014).

Over the years, the number of studies into botanical functionality, natural products, and their bioactive potential has increased in an exponential manner (Balch 2006; Balch & Stengler 2004; Balch et al. 2008). Different civilizations possess characteristic health doctrines and therefore different ways to prepare meals, mainly derived from perceptions about the intellectual, physical, energetic, therapeutic, and culinary applications of food (Kaput 2008; Murray 2004; Murray & Pizzorno 2005, 2012). With the globalization process, many local food habits have been changed and intercultural relationships established (Murray & Pizzorno 2005, 2012). Not all of this was bad but in relation to health and nutrition, a positive correlation between modified food patterns and prevalence of diseases and organic disorders has been increasingly stated over recent years (Arvanitoyannis & Houwelingen‐Koukaliaroglou 2005; Fenech et al. 2011; Jones & Varady 2008). Neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, metabolic and immune diseases, and aging‐related conditions, represent the most frequent and serious disorders, at a public health level (Ergin et al. 2013; Murray & Pizzorno 2012; Nasri et al. 2014).

It is important to bear in mind that geographical, cultural, and ethnic differences produce pronounced variations at genetic, molecular, and organic levels (Balch et al. 2008; Longe 2005; Murray & Pizzorno 2005, 2012). People living in distinct areas have specific genetic patterns and therefore different metabolic pathways and related responses to ingested foods (Fenech et al. 2011; Ferguson 2009; Kaput 2008). There are increasing evidences related to the effects of the interaction between foods and the individual’s genome (nutrigenomics), leading to consequences at the level of the phenotype. This explains why a particular dietary practice may be appropriate for one individual and inappropriate for another (Fenech et al. 2011; Kaput 2008). On the other hand, the effects of genetic variations on dietary responses (nutrigenetics) have also been increasingly reported...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• List of Contributors
• Preface
• 1 Introduction
• 2 The Numbers Behind Mushroom Biodiversity
• 3 The Nutritional Benefits of Mushrooms
• 4 The Bioactive Properties of Mushrooms
• 5 The Use of Mushrooms in the Development of Functional Foods, Drugs, and Nutraceuticals
• 6 The Consumption of Wild Edible Plants
• 7 Wild Greens as Source of Nutritive and Bioactive Compounds Over the World
• 8 Nutrients and Bioactive Compounds in Wild Fruits Through Different Continents
• 9 Wild Plant‐Based Functional Foods, Drugs, and Nutraceuticals
• 10 Nuts
• 11 Recent Advances in Our Knowledge of the Biological Properties of Nuts
• 12 Nuts as Sources of Nutrients
• 13 The Contribution of Chestnuts to the Design and Development of Functional Foods
• 14 Emerging Functional Foods Derived from Almonds
• Index
• End User License Agreement