Vegetable oil-based nutraceuticals

Abstract

Nutraceutical is a part of food that provides medicinal or health benefits including the prevention and treatment of diseases in addition to the common nutritional values of the foodstuff. Nutraceuticals provide all the essential substances which are supposed to be present in human diet. It is one of the fastest-growing segments of the global food industry and may range from isolated nutrients, dietary supplements, antioxidants, minerals, functional fibers, probiotics and prebiotics, marine products, functional foods and beverages, phytochemicals, dairy-based ingredients, confectionary products, and cosmeceuticals. Vegetable oil is a rich source of nutraceuticals in addition to essential fatty acids. Triglyceride is the major component of the vegetable oil, and its fatty acids play a vital role in human health and nutrition. Minor components of vegetable oil such as lecithin, tocopherols and tocotrienols, phytosterols and phytostanols, oryzanol, policosanol, squalene, carotenoids, and lignans also play a significant role in human health. This chapter describes the importance of vegetable oil-based nutraceuticals.