Chapter 3
Dietary Intakes of Polyphenols
in Selected Vegetables and Fruits
Abstract Food supplies energy, nutrients, and different types of molecules and
even micro-organisms that play key roles in human body. In addition, food also
conveys pleasure and it is entangled with social behaviours and beliefs. Besides
the macronutrients, the relevance of other compounds has been disclosed, notably
about polyphenols. Besides the macronutrients, the relevance of other compounds
has been disclosed, notably about polyphenols. This family of molecules has been
regarded as unpleasant for their bitter taste, astringency or darkening of juices by
food technologists. Polyphenols have also been regarded as antinutrients because
of their ability to bind minerals and to denature proteins. However, recently many
health-promoting properties have been attributed to polyphenols and a new niche
market of food supplements is on the rise. On the other hand, the Med Diet contains
a wide variety of ingredients rich in phytonutrients and it also encompasses cooking
methods that optimize the interaction and protection of such phytonutrients. The
present chapter focuses on polyphenol-rich foods of Med Diet and the interactions
between them.
Keywords Antioxidant · Extra virgin olive oil · Food processing · Mediterranean
Diet · Non-communicable diseases · Phytonutrient · Polyphenols
Abbreviations
Bw
Body weight
EGCG
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate
EFSA
European Food Safety Authority
EU
European Union
EVOO
Extra virgin olive oil
FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
FDA
Food and Drug Administration
HDL
High-density lipoprotein
HPLC
High-performance liquid chromatography
IOC
International Olive Council
LDL
Low-density lipoprotein
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
M. Issaoui et al., Polyphenols and the Mediterranean Diet,
SpringerBriefs in Chemistry of Foods, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41134-3_3
33
Dietary Intakes of Polyphenols
in Selected Vegetables and Fruits
Abstract Food supplies energy, nutrients, and different types of molecules and
even micro-organisms that play key roles in human body. In addition, food also
conveys pleasure and it is entangled with social behaviours and beliefs. Besides
the macronutrients, the relevance of other compounds has been disclosed, notably
about polyphenols. Besides the macronutrients, the relevance of other compounds
has been disclosed, notably about polyphenols. This family of molecules has been
regarded as unpleasant for their bitter taste, astringency or darkening of juices by
food technologists. Polyphenols have also been regarded as antinutrients because
of their ability to bind minerals and to denature proteins. However, recently many
health-promoting properties have been attributed to polyphenols and a new niche
market of food supplements is on the rise. On the other hand, the Med Diet contains
a wide variety of ingredients rich in phytonutrients and it also encompasses cooking
methods that optimize the interaction and protection of such phytonutrients. The
present chapter focuses on polyphenol-rich foods of Med Diet and the interactions
between them.
Keywords Antioxidant · Extra virgin olive oil · Food processing · Mediterranean
Diet · Non-communicable diseases · Phytonutrient · Polyphenols
Abbreviations
Bw
Body weight
EGCG
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate
EFSA
European Food Safety Authority
EU
European Union
EVOO
Extra virgin olive oil
FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
FDA
Food and Drug Administration
HDL
High-density lipoprotein
HPLC
High-performance liquid chromatography
IOC
International Olive Council
LDL
Low-density lipoprotein
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
M. Issaoui et al., Polyphenols and the Mediterranean Diet,
SpringerBriefs in Chemistry of Foods, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41134-3_3
33