Abdul Hei

By Ch. Sarojnalini and Abdul Hei

If the principle of “enhanced function” and “reduced risk of disease” claim is valid regarding the definition of functional foods, then fish must be chosen as one of the most important functional foods. Functional foods are foods that have potentially positive effects on health beyond basic nutrition. Fish contains components that can improve physical and mental health, and even can reduce the risk of diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetics, dementia, osteoporosis, psoriasis, lupus, arthritis, retinopathy, and other chronic and inflammatory diseases. Fish and fish products are a rich source of important components such as proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which are of significant nutritional values. Example of functional food components are important n-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA which have anti-inflammatory property and many health related roles. So, fish in human nutrition is required for growth, development, maintenance, and optimum health. As consumers of the age become more health conscious, the demand and market values for health promoting functional foods are expected to grow. The present study is to review the efficiency of functional food components of fish and fish products including safety for promotion of quality of human life.

Part of the book: Functional Foods

By Abdul Hei and Laishram Sanahanbi

With the increasing interest in health and nutrition for longevity of life and more performance ability, the idea of health foods and nutrients has attracted more research and studies. Omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a nutrient molecule with various diverse roles and health benefits in the human body. Though DHA originally comes from microalgae and sea plants, the main source of DHA is fish, shellfish, and fish oils. DHA is a key nutrient with a structural and functional role in the cell membrane and cell organelles, and abundant in brain and eye. It is good for the heart, and protective against heart diseases. It is rather a very ancient molecule with more modern concepts. Really, DHA has been proven to be a key nutrient that is required in the processes of physical and mental development and health, and prevention of diseases throughout the life span. Driven by the values of physical and mental health, the demand for DHA in the international market is expected to grow. This review is an attempt to update the research findings about DHA and its health benefits in an easy and lucid way.

Part of the book: Dietary Supplements