Chapters authored
Perspective Chapter: Beyond Delicious – The Hidden Functional Benefits of Cheese
Cheese; a diverse and healthy milkproduct with a long history that stretches back thousands of years. It is available worldwide in varying forms and is valued for its delicious taste and superior nutritional content. Classification of cheese is dependent on texture or moisture content, method of coagulation or coagulating agent, maturation or ripening, type of milk and manufacturing techniques. Cheese is comprised of macronutrients, micronutrients and functional nutrients; major macronutrients in cheese are proteins and fats, major micronutrients in cheese include vitamins and minerals and functional nutrients in cheese include cheese bioactive peptides, polyphenols, probiotic, prebiotic, conjugated linoleic acid, sphingolipids, phytanic acid, lactoferrin, γ aminobutyric acid and organic acids. Other than its great taste and flavor cheese is responsible for providing many health benefits i.e. gut protecting activity, antioxidative activity, anticariogenic activity, antihypertensive, antihyperglycemic, cardioprotective and osteoprotective activity to the body. This chapter will focus on the classification, nutritional composition and health benefits of cheese.
Part of the book: Recent Trends on Cheese as Functional Food with Great Nutritive and Health Benefits
Mulberry
Mulberry plant belongs to the family Moracea from the genus Morus and can be cultivated in mountains, plains, and valleys, even in humid and rain-fed areas. Many various varieties of this plant are present around the world, but three prime varieties include, that is, native red mulberry (Morus rubra), East Asian white mulberry (Morus alba), and southwestern Asian black mulberry (Morus nigra). The presence of certain biologically active compounds in its fruit provides several pharmacological benefits to health. Polyphenols, flavonols, anthocyanin, flavonoids, anthocyanins, benzoic acid, and hydroxycinnamic acid are the major bioactive active compounds responsible for pharmacological benefits, that is, anticholesterol, antidiabetic, antioxidative, and antiobesity effects fruit of this plant can be consumed as whole fruit, as juice, and as spread but its preservation is difficult due to its high water content. Therefore, this chapter will aim to focus on different types of mulberry plants and the pharmacologic benefits of different mulberry fruits.
Part of the book: Edible Berries - New Insights