Micronutrients and Macronutrients as Nutraceuticals

Book excerpt: This new volume explains in detail the properties of micronutrients and macronutrients and their diverse uses as nutraceuticals for their beneficial properties, such as their antioxidant activity and immunity-boosting properties and how they can be incorporated into the human diet for optimum health, for growing beneficial bacteria in the gut, and inhibition of pathogens. Interestingly, the authors look at how disease-promoting habits often unfold in childhood, even prenatally, and employing nutrigenomics early on goes a long way toward curbing these chronic diseases later on in life. With the advent of increasing drug costs and escalating antimicrobial resistance, the pharmacological and antibiotic-like effects of naturally derived nutraceuticals are worth exploring. This volume provides important information toward that goal that will be valuable for researchers, faculty, and graduate students in medical microbiology, pharmacy, chemical engineering, and medical informatics.