Therapeutic, Probiotic, and Unconventional Foods

Therapeutic, Probiotic and Unconventional Foods compiles the most recent, interesting and innovative research on unconventional and therapeutic foods, highlighting their role in improving health and life quality, their implications on safety, and their industrial and economic impact. The book focuses on probiotic foods, addressing the benefits and challenges associated with probiotic and prebiotic use. It then explores the most recently investigated and well-recognized nutraceutical and medicinal foods and the food products and ingredients that have both an impact on human health and a potential therapeutic effect. The third and final section explores unconventional foods and discusses intriguing and debated foods and food sources.

While research has been conducted on the beneficial biological effects of probiotics and therapeutic food, the use of these foods remains controversial. To overcome the suspicion of the use of alternative, homeopathic and traditional products as therapy, this book reveals and discusses the most recent and scientifically sound and confirmed aspects of the research.

Compiles the most recent, interesting and innovative research on unconventional and therapeutic foodsHighlights the role of unconventional and therapeutic foods in improving health and life qualityDiscusses the implications of unconventional and therapeutic foods on safetyPresents the industrial and economic impact of unconventional and therapeutic foods

1. Introduction in Nutraceutical and Medicinal Foods

Section 1: Probiotics and Prebiotics 2. Probiotics: Supplements, Food, Pharmaceutical industry 3. Selection of New Probiotics: The Case of Streptomyces 4. Development of New Probiotic Foods – A Case Study on Probiotic Juices 5. Prebiotics and Production of New Prebiotics from Unconventional Raw Materials (Mushrooms) 6. Probiotics in the Rescue of Gut Inflammation 7. Probiotics as an Adjunct to Conventional Treatment in Vulvovaginitis: Past, Present and Future

Section 2: Therapeutic Foods and Ingredients 8. Flavonoids as Nutraceuticals 9. Bioactive Peptides – Impact in Cancer Therapy 10. Essential Oils - Biological Activity and Therapeutic Potential 11. Nutritional and Therapeutic Potential of Spices 12. Novel Nutraceutical Compounds 13. Nutraceutical and medicinal importance of seabuckthorn (Hippophae sp.) 14. Therapeutic Potential of Flaxseed  15. Pharmaceutical, Nutraceutical and Therapeutic Properties of Selected Wild Medicinal Plants: Thyme, Spearmint and Rosemary 16. Virgin Coconut Oil as Functional Oil  17. Health Effects of Various Dietary Agents and Phytochemicals (Therapy of Acute Pancreatitis) 

Section 3: Unconventional Foods and Food Ingredients 18. Production of Bioactive Compounds from Waste 19. Unripe plantain flours 20. Dry Beans: Processing and Nutritional Effect 21. Vegan Nutrition: Latest Boom in Health and Exercise