42
The carbohydrates content of the seaweeds are very high (Gupta and AbuGhannam 2011; Rajasulochana et al. 2012). Sulfated polysaccharides, such as
phlorotannins and diterpenes are the biologically active compounds from marine
algae that are most widely studied for their potent anti-viral, anti-tumor, and anticancer properties. Several studies have also been carried out on the prebiotic
health capabilities of these polysaccharides from seaweeds (Gupta and AbuGhannam 2011). A variety of polysaccharides, such as alginates, fucoidans, and
laminarans have also been found in brown seaweeds (Table 4.1). While fucoidans
and laminarans are soluble in water, the high-molecular-mass alginates are alkalisoluble polysaccharides.
Table 4.2 Examples of bioactive carbohydrates from higher plants and their potential health
benefits
Bioactive carbohydrate
Sources
Potential health benefits
Cellulose
Fruit, grains, nuts,
vegetables,
Increased stool bulk and bowel movement
regulation (Wang et al. 2013)
Hemicelluloses
Vegetative and storage
tissues of annual/
perennial plants, fruit,
legumes, and nuts
Antioxidant activity, antithrombotic activity,
immunomodulating activity, cholesterol
lowering, free radical elimination and bowel
movements regulation (Wang et al. 2018)
Pectins
Plant primary cell
wall, soft tissues of
fruit and vegetable
Immunomodulating activity, cholesterollowering effect, delayed gastric emptying
and small intestine transit time (Kamhi
et al. 2013)
β-Glucans
Oats, barley and grains Cholesterol lowering effect, lipid regulation,
blood glucose control, reduction of high
blood pressure, immunostimulatory (Wang
and Ellis 2014; Xu et al. 2013)
Resistant starch
Cooked and cooled
potatoes, rice, green
bananas, legumes
Hypoglycemic activities,
hypocholesterolemic effects, prevention of
colonic cancer, prebiotic roles, inhibition of
fat accumulation, enhanced absorption of
minerals (Toivonen et al. 2014)
Gums like Galactan,
xylan, xyloglucan,
glucuronic mannan,
galacturonic rhamnosan
type
Locust bean gum, gum
arabic, and guar gum
Delayed postprandial glycemia, lipemia,
and lipoprotein composition, increased
satiety, delayed gastric emptying,
Hypocholesterolemic effect,
hypotriglyceridemic effect (Uebelhack et al.
2014)
Inulin
Chicory root, onion,
garlic, wheat.
Prebiotic roles, Hypolipidemic effects,
stimulation of mineral absorption
(i.e.calcium, magnesium) (Uebelhack et al.
2014)
Konjac glucomannan
Konjac plant
Hypocholesterolemic effect, weight
reduction (Tester and Al-Ghazzewi 2013)
Ginseng polysaccharides Panax ginseng root
Antirotavirus activity (Xie et al. 2016b)
Acanthopanax senticosu
polysaccharides
Acanthopanax
senticosus leaves
Antioxidant activity and immunobiological
activity (Maslowski and Mackay 2011)
T. A. Oyedepo and A. A. A. Kayode
The carbohydrates content of the seaweeds are very high (Gupta and AbuGhannam 2011; Rajasulochana et al. 2012). Sulfated polysaccharides, such as
phlorotannins and diterpenes are the biologically active compounds from marine
algae that are most widely studied for their potent anti-viral, anti-tumor, and anticancer properties. Several studies have also been carried out on the prebiotic
health capabilities of these polysaccharides from seaweeds (Gupta and AbuGhannam 2011). A variety of polysaccharides, such as alginates, fucoidans, and
laminarans have also been found in brown seaweeds (Table 4.1). While fucoidans
and laminarans are soluble in water, the high-molecular-mass alginates are alkalisoluble polysaccharides.
Table 4.2 Examples of bioactive carbohydrates from higher plants and their potential health
benefits
Bioactive carbohydrate
Sources
Potential health benefits
Cellulose
Fruit, grains, nuts,
vegetables,
Increased stool bulk and bowel movement
regulation (Wang et al. 2013)
Hemicelluloses
Vegetative and storage
tissues of annual/
perennial plants, fruit,
legumes, and nuts
Antioxidant activity, antithrombotic activity,
immunomodulating activity, cholesterol
lowering, free radical elimination and bowel
movements regulation (Wang et al. 2018)
Pectins
Plant primary cell
wall, soft tissues of
fruit and vegetable
Immunomodulating activity, cholesterollowering effect, delayed gastric emptying
and small intestine transit time (Kamhi
et al. 2013)
β-Glucans
Oats, barley and grains Cholesterol lowering effect, lipid regulation,
blood glucose control, reduction of high
blood pressure, immunostimulatory (Wang
and Ellis 2014; Xu et al. 2013)
Resistant starch
Cooked and cooled
potatoes, rice, green
bananas, legumes
Hypoglycemic activities,
hypocholesterolemic effects, prevention of
colonic cancer, prebiotic roles, inhibition of
fat accumulation, enhanced absorption of
minerals (Toivonen et al. 2014)
Gums like Galactan,
xylan, xyloglucan,
glucuronic mannan,
galacturonic rhamnosan
type
Locust bean gum, gum
arabic, and guar gum
Delayed postprandial glycemia, lipemia,
and lipoprotein composition, increased
satiety, delayed gastric emptying,
Hypocholesterolemic effect,
hypotriglyceridemic effect (Uebelhack et al.
2014)
Inulin
Chicory root, onion,
garlic, wheat.
Prebiotic roles, Hypolipidemic effects,
stimulation of mineral absorption
(i.e.calcium, magnesium) (Uebelhack et al.
2014)
Konjac glucomannan
Konjac plant
Hypocholesterolemic effect, weight
reduction (Tester and Al-Ghazzewi 2013)
Ginseng polysaccharides Panax ginseng root
Antirotavirus activity (Xie et al. 2016b)
Acanthopanax senticosu
polysaccharides
Acanthopanax
senticosus leaves
Antioxidant activity and immunobiological
activity (Maslowski and Mackay 2011)
T. A. Oyedepo and A. A. A. Kayode