Almonds as functional food: a review

Almonds are high energy nuts and rich in unsaturated fatty acids. In addition the complex matrices of almond contain many bioactive compounds such as α-tocopherols, and phenolic compounds, which are high in a variety of helpful antioxidants or phytochemicals that shield against the damaging effects of free radicals. The phenolic compounds were identified not only in almond and its skin, but also in shell and hull.The essential fatty acid profile, phytochemical compounds and dietary fiber probably lead to almond identification as a functional food.Because of their unique composition, almond consumption could be useful to decrease cholesterol and protect humans from coronary artery diseases, lipid oxidation, diabetes and colon cancer. And also almondsare likely to benefit newer cardiovascular risk biomarkers, such as LDL oxidizability, inflammatory molecules, and endothelial dysfunction

کلیدواژه ها:

Almond ، Bio active ، Antioxidant component ، Functional food