ABSTRACT
Lipid oxidation makes meals inedible. Synthetic antioxidants, like butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), have been employed for decades to slow fat oxidation. Concerns about the safety of synthetic antioxidants and consumers' demand for nature-derived products prompted researchers to study natural antioxidants. Spices and herbs contain high levels of antioxidants. For almost 2,000 years, natural herbs and spices have been utilized for flavor, color, and scent. Because of their phytochemicals, they have also been used to preserve foods and beverages. These antioxidants found in natural herbs and spices are potent due to their high antioxidant activity. Since they have medicinal potential and antioxidant properties and contain biologically active substances like alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, phenolics, vitamins, and polyphenols, humans have used herbs and spices for hundreds of years as food and a means of treating illnesses. Finding novel and safe antioxidants derived from natural sources is currently of significant global interest in reducing oxidative damage to living cells and preventing food from deteriorating through oxidation. From a variety of spices and other plants, new antioxidative substances have been extracted, and their chemical and spectroscopic structures established. The present chapter summarizes the literature pertaining to antioxidants derived from spices and condiments and evaluates their potential in treating diseases.
