Abstract:
One of the most pressing challenges for the next 50 years is to reduce the impact of
chronic disease. Unhealthy eating is an increasing problem and underlies much of
the increase in mortality from chronic diseases that is occurring worldwide. Diets
rich in plant-based foods are strongly associated with reduced risks of major
chronic diseases, but the constituents in plants that promote health have proved
difficult to identify with certainty. This, in turn, has confounded the precision of
dietary recommendations. Plant biochemistry can make significant contributions to
human health through the identification and measurement of the many metabolites
in plant-based foods, particularly those known to promote health (phytonutrients).
Plant genetics and metabolic engineering can be used to make foods that differ
only in their content of specific phytonutrients. Such foods offer research tools that
can provide significant insight into which metabolites promote health and how they
work. Plant science can reduce some of the complexity of the diet-health
relationship, and through building multidisciplinary interactions with researchers in
nutrition and the pathology of chronic diseases, plant scientists can contribute
novel insight into which foods reduce the risk of chronic disease and how these
foods work to impact human health.
Description:
This thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) of East West University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
