Bioactive compounds modulating inflammation and oxidative stress in some traditional functional foods and beverages

Abstract

The trend in the food industry is increasing the demand for healthy foods with functional components such as fermented foods or foods with bioactive compounds and is leading the need for the development of products providing functional components. Traditional functional foods that contain essential nutrients, probiotic microorganisms, and several bioactive compounds can modulate metabolic processes and promote health. Epidemiological studies and randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that the consumption of functional foods has numerous health benefits such as reduction of cancer risk, menopause symptoms, blood pressure, and osteoporosis; enhancement of immune function; and improvement of cardiac and gastrointestinal health, antiinflammatory effects, and antibacterial and antiviral activities. However, people are often hesitant to try unfamiliar foods, even when they believe that they have important health properties. This review aims at indicating existing knowledge about the characteristics and advantages of some traditional functional foods and beverages as a potential functional product for modulating inflammation and oxidative stress, and their benefits on human health with their bioactive compounds. The question is how traditional diet such as Mediterranean and Japanese, including high intake of fruits and vegetables, fish and seafood, fermented foods, fiber, less processed cereals, and only balanced dairy and lean meats, has effects against inflammation and oxidative stress. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.