Arslan Ahmad

By Nazir Ahmed, Anwar Ali, Sakhawat Riaz, Arslan Ahmad and Muhammad Aqib

The growing world population demands more production of proteins for healthy growth and prevention of protein-energy malnutrition. The animal proteins are not sufficient to meet the requirement of daily proteins intake. Furthermore, due to limited resources of animal number, land, water, environmental impact, the demand for vegetable proteins and sustainability have been increasing tremendously. This chapter will outline the demand scenarios of vegetable proteins, nutritional aspects, and technological challenges in product development and consumer acceptance. It will summarize the potential of vegetable proteins related to health and existing diseases. The consumption of vegetable proteins, development of product, economic, sustainability, and food safety aspects will be summarized.

Part of the book: Vegetable Crops

By Sakhawat Riaz, Arslan Ahmad, Rimsha Farooq, Munir Ahmed, Muhammad Shaheryar and Muneer Hussain

Mushrooms are abundant in proteins, polysaccharides, micronutrients, unsaturated fatty acids, and natural compounds. Mushrooms have recently gained popularity as a source of biologically active substances with medical potentials, such as anticancer, antiviral, immune-boosting, hypocholesterolemic, and hepatoprotective agents. Some common edible and helpful mushrooms include Lentinus (shiitake), Flammulina (enokitake), Tremella (yiner), Hericium, Pleurotus (oyster), Grifola (maitake) and Auricularia (mu-er). Details on the nutritional content of mushrooms, functional components, and their influence on human health will be explored in this chapter. Mushrooms are used to cure a wide range of ailments. Mushrooms provide a lot of nutrients and are low in calories. They are also fat-free, low in sodium, cholesterol-free, and high in fiber, protein, and antioxidants. They lower the chance of acquiring significant health problems, including Alzheimer, heart disease, and diabetes. It also has antifungal activity. They are also high in selenium and other biochemically active compounds, which have the ability to lower the incidence of chronic illness.

Part of the book: Current Topics in Functional Food

By Arslan Ahmad, Sakhawat Riaz, Muhammad Shahzaib Nadeem, Umber Mubeen and Khadija Maham

Carotenes are fat-soluble pigments found in a variety of foods, the majority of which are fruits and vegetables. They may have antioxidant biological properties due to their chemical makeup and relationship to cellular membranes. And over 700 carotenoids have been found, with—carotene, lutein, lycopene, and zeaxanthin is the most significant antioxidant food pigments. Their capacity to absorb lipid peroxides, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitrous oxide is likely linked to their anti-oxidative properties (NO). The daily requirements for carotenoids are also discussed in this chapter. Heart disease is still a prominent source of sickness and mortality in modern societies. Natural antioxidants contained in fruits and vegetables, such as lycopene, a-carotene, and B-carotene, may help prevent CVD by reducing oxidative stress, which is a major factor in the disease’s progression. Numerous epidemiological studies have backed up the idea that antioxidants might be utilized to prevent and perhaps treat cardiovascular illnesses at a low cost. Supplements containing carotenoids are also available, and their effectiveness has been proven. This article provides an overview of carotenoids’ chemistry, including uptake, transport, availability, metabolism, and antioxidant activity, including its involvement with disease prevention, notably cardiovascular disease.

Part of the book: Carotenoids

By Arslan Ahmad, Sakhawat Riaz, Nosheen Ijaz, Maleeha Fatima and Muntaha Latif

Malnutrition, which affects roughly 2 billion people worldwide, is among the country’s most pressing health issues. In comparison to other developing nations, Pakistan has one of the worst prevalence of childhood malnutrition. We’ll explore how people in poor countries manage food scarcity. Owing to low per capita income and a lack of purchasing power for fundamental food staples that meet the human body’s nutritional demands. Malnourished children in Pakistan suffer from stunting, wasting, and being underweight. The causes of child malnutrition and stunting in Pakistan are discussed in this chapter, as well as the impact of numerous factors on stunting and the types of intervention methods and practices that should be devised and executed to address the problem.

Part of the book: Combating Malnutrition through Sustainable Approaches

By Arslan Ahmad, Sakhawat Riaz and Muhammad Tanveer

Obesity is a severe worldwide health problem driven by both hereditary and environmental factors, and its prevalence is increasing year after year. According to current thinking, The bacteria in the stomach may have a part in the growth of obesity and other health comorbidities. To better fully comprehend the link between obesity but also microbiomes, we sum up the features of the intestinal microbiota in obese people, the metabolic pathway of obesity-induced by the intestinal microbiota, and the impact of biological factors on the intestinal microbiota and adiposity in this chapter. The microbiome has been shown to have a major role in the development of obesity by regulating energy metabolism. The makeup and density of intestinal flora can be influenced by diet. Simultaneously, it is suggested that the gut microbiome be used in obesity studies. Some food items have recently shown that pro capability via functional ingredients that impact the intestinal flora, attracting the interest of scientists.

Part of the book: Effect of Microbiota on Health and Disease

By Sakhawat Riaz, Arslan Ahmad, Rimsha Farooq, Nasir Hussain, Tariq Riaz, Khadim Hussain and Muhammad Mazahir

Citrus species is a category of fruit that contains a variety of bioactive components throughout the plant. Citrus fruits (and items made from them) are among the most widely eaten fruits in the world, and their supply continues to increase. Oranges, pomelos, limes, tangelos, mandarins, lemons, kumquats, grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits are among them. They are frequently employed in the culinary, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical sectors due to their fragrance and taste. Vitamin C, pectin, limonene, phenolics, iso-limonene, flavanones, and nonanal are the main bioactive components present, and they provide a variety of health advantages. Pharmacological studies have shown that the fruit has numerous nutraceutical benefits, including a strong antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-hypertensive, anticancerous, antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial, antihyperglycemic, and cardioprotective. It should also be highlighted that all Citrus fruits are an excellent source of minerals, which are required to maintain water and electrolyte balance. Citrus fruit-eating has been linked to a range of health advantages in recent research. This chapter presents an overview of the nutritional aspects of Citrus as well as its health benefits, which will be detailed.

Part of the book: Citrus Research