ABSTRACT
The last few decades have seen rapid expansion of knowledge about the influence of diet on health and well-being. The concept of food in the developed world is changing drastically from the classical idea whereby the purpose of food was to supply the nutrients required for proper metabolism by consumers and to satisfy their expectations. Now, the emphasis is increasingly on the beneficial and psychological effects of diet. In this sense, an adequate diet cannot only help to achieve optimal health and development, but it can also play an important role in reducing the risk of disease (Diplock et al. 1999).
