ABSTRACT

Among the functional components naturally occurring in foods, plant flavonoids probably constitute the group of substances that has arisen most interest among the food scientists and nutritionists, as well as from food manufacturers and consumers in the last two decades because of their putative beneficial effects on human health. Most flavonoids are reducing agents that act as antioxidants and free radical scavengers, thus protecting against oxidative reactions, which is largely the main mechanism of action explaining the biological activity of dietary flavonoids, although not the only one. Flavonoids may play a role in the prevention of several chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, neurodegenerative disorders, and other pathologies associated with oxidative stress. Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse relationship between the consumption of plant foods rich in flavonoids and the incidence of certain diseases. Thus, the intake of foods like soy, rich in isoflavones, green tea as a source of flavanols, fruits, etc. may protect against different types of cancers,1-7 while red wide, cocoa, tea, and also high intakes of fruits and vegetables have been related with a reduced incidence of cardiovascular diseases, inflammation, etc.3,4,8-10 These findings from epidemiological, human and animal intervention studies, as well as from in vitro mechanistic experiments have encouraged the study of these food bioactive components and their use as functional food ingredients and nutraceuticals. A nutraceutical can be defined as any food or part of a food with health beneficial effects, including a reduction on the risk of suffering from certain diseases, as well as with potential use in the treatment against different pathologies.