Use of Agricultural Wastes to Design Natural Products for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), or risk factors for CVD, such as diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, are the leading cause of death worldwide. Therefore, the use of agricultural by-products as a source of functional ingredients, particularly those from crop plants, has received significant interest. For example, the banana (Musa spp.) is a common food crop worldwide and is the primary production on Madeira Island in Portugal. In this work, banana peels and puree were incorporated into sweet food products as butter and sugar substitutes, enhancing the nutritional content. The results show that the final product’s dietary fibre and phenolic content increased, while the lipidic and total sugar content decreased. The obtained results show that banana peels have a great potential to be developed into beneficial functional foods and nutraceuticals.