Chapter 6 - Functional foods and cancer prevention

Abstract

Functional food is the general term used in the social and scientific media and food producers have endeavored to produce and develop processed foods that can provide added functional benefits for consumers’ well-being. Functional foods elicit beneficial health effects if they are part of a balanced diet. Although some studies have evaluated the effects of some functional foods on the prevention of cancer, there is a need for a comprehensive review investigating their effects. This chapter covers algal and plant components including proteins, phytosterols, astaxanthin, polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamins, minerals, prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics, polyunsaturated fatty acids fibers, and the mechanisms responsible for the prevention of cancer.