Plants in Human Health and Nutrition Policy

Book excerpt: The present volume includes a series of studies on edible wild plants and their impact on human health. Today the diet of developed societies is limited to a few cultivated vegetables while the developing countries often lack an adequate supply of micronutrients. Wild plants contain antioxidant, omega-3 fatty acid and micronutrient components that contribute to both a decrease in the risk for chronic diseases as well as the reduction of nutritional deficiencies. Thus they address many diet-related problems at both ends of the socioeconomic spectrum. Results from research provide data on the composition of indigenous plants from various areas of the world and show that consumption of green leafy vegetables corrects deficiencies successfully. The book also deals with nutrition policy integrating indigenous foods against micronutrient deficiency. Implementation of scientific evidence is an essential precondition for improving nutrition policy. Nutritionists, food producers, botanists, agronomists, food technologists, pharmacologists as well as all professionals involved with food policy and human development will find in this book a valuable and updated basis for their work.