Nutraceuticals in Cardiac Health Management

Book excerpt: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) constitute the major cause of death worldwide, claiming nearly 18 million lives each year. Multiple foods and nutraceuticals have been proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. This new book offers an informative update on the most recent scientific evidence addressing the use of nutraceuticals in the prevention and management of heart disease. It summarizes the functional foods that are involved in preventing the risk of CVDs, the mechanisms of the bioactive components that lower the risk of chronic illnesses, as well as the dietary patterns that are involved in the prevention of CVDs. It also covers specific nutraceuticals, including probiotics, dietary fibers, garlic, green tea, vitamins, tomatoes and other lycopene-rich fruits and vegetables, dietary supplements, bee products, and more. In addition, it focuses on detailing the endothelial effects of marine- and plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids and marine-derived natural flavonoids in hypertension and CVDs.