What Is A Nutraceutical? Pharmaceuticals Containing Bioactive Compounds Obtained From Food
Channel: Professional Supplement Center
Date: 06/07/2015

What is a nutraceutical? Nutraceuticals are pharmaceutical forms (pills, powders, capsules, vials, etc.) containing bioactive compounds in food as active principles. Nutraceutical Bioactive phytochemicals have become a very significant source for ingredients in nutraceuticals. While the term "nutraceutical" may be relatively new, people have been relying on their ingredients for hundreds of years!  For example: Hippocrates wrote that the leaves and bark from a willow tree relieved pain and fevers, which has now become the staple, over-the-counter drug aspirin!

Wolfberry fruits have been used since ancient times in China to protect the liver, improve vision, strengthen weak legs and promote longevity!  

For hundreds of years, the Plains Indians used Echinacea to treat poisonous insect and snakebites, toothaches, sore throat, wounds and communicable diseases such as mumps, smallpox, and measles. It was also used by the Cheyenne, Choctaw, Comanche, Dakota, Meskawaki Fox, Pawnee, Sioux, and Omaha tribes! 

Fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods are rich in bioactive phytochemicals that may provide desirable health benefits beyond basic nutrition to reduce the risk of the development of chronic diseases. Some of the most notable bioactives in today's nutraceuticals are:

Flavonoids are a class of bioactives found in a variety of fruits which has shown to protect against cardiovascular disease and other age-related conditions. 

Glucosinolates are bioactive compounds found in brassica plants, especially crucifers such as broccoli. Studies have shown that diets high in these foods are associated with a reduced risk of cancer and improved vascular health. Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucosinolate

Isoprenoids are a class of plant natural products found in tomatoes, potatoes and peppers and provide a rich source of high-value bioactives for human uses ranging from antibiotics, anticancer and anti-inflammatory agents, to flavors and fragrances!

The professional Supplement Center offers a wide range of high-quality nutraceuticals. If you'd like to speak with our registered nurse or knowledgeable staff about what nutraceuticals might be right for you, please email or give us a call.


Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavonoid
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavonoid#Dietary_sources
Wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terpenoid
Blog: http://blog.professionalsupplementcenter.com/what-is-a-nutraceutical/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytochemical

#Nutraceuticals