Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: The concept of healthy nutrition implies an optimal ratio of rationally organized nutrition in combination with regular physical activity. A sedentary lifestyle leads to serious disorders in the human body. Due to low physical activity, the amount of oxidizer is insufficient for proper assimilation of macronutrients of food, and the function of the electron transport chain is disordered. At the same time, in the course of vital activity, reactive compounds are formed in the body, which can cause oxidative stress and lead to disorders in functioning of organs and systems. Due to the action of an antioxidant complex that includes both endogenous and exogenous antioxidants, free radical oxidative transformations are blocked. Numerous antioxidants are involved in this process, each of which performing its own function and being vital. Most of the antioxidants are exogenous and they must be obtained from food. Diets should be selected properly to provide a daily rate of various antioxidants. Food products made in restaurants and canteens should be enriched with physiologically functional ingredients that have antioxidant properties. It has been shown that raw materials of plant origin, especially vegetables, contain a significant amount of antioxidants, such as L-ascorbic acid, tocopherols, beta-carotene, and mineral elements. Food density indices of substances with antioxidant properties in various types of vegetables, fruits and berries are determined. It is shown that some types of plant raw materials can be a source of a complex of antioxidants of various types. Drinks, dishes and other food products enriched with antioxidants can eliminate the contradiction between the sufficient intake of oxidizer into the human body, respectively, the formation of active forms of oxygen and other reactive compounds and the prevention of oxidative stress by interrupting free radical reactions. It is shown that various plant raw materials can be evaluated and compared as sources of antioxidants by calculating the food density indices of exogenous antioxidants contained in the raw material.
Source: Food Science and Technology
Authors: L. Telezhenko, P. Bilenkyi
Institution: Odesa National University of Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Biochemistry
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4411879567