CRC Press Functional Foods and Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer in North America and around the world. The staggering medical costs involved in treating patients suffering from this disease demand an alternative approach to prevent or minimize its development. In Functional Foods and Cardiovascular Disease, international researchers reveal essential up-to-date information on the role that functional foods and nutraceuticals play in preventing the development of heart disease. Highlighting the physiological benefits of a host of functional foods, the book examines: The pathogenesis of coronary artery disease Genetic methods for enhancing bioactives in foods and new techniques for extracting bioactive components for developing functional foods Clinical and experimental evidence of the cardiovascular benefits of fish oils and plant oils, particularly flaxseed oil The importance of folic acid in homocysteine metabolism and its impact on cardiovascular disease Clinical and experimental evidence for the cardiovascular benefits of plant sterols The beneficial effects of wine, garlic products, eggs, fiber, cocoa and chocolate, and coffee and tea on cardiovascular health While there have been great improvements in treating coronary heart disease through surgery and medications, prevention through diet and exercise should remain an essential priority in maintaining the health of the aging population. Nutritionists, food scientists, and those working in the health industry will find that this book enhances their understanding of the potential role of functional foods in combating cardiovascular disease before more aggressive treatment is needed. About the Author Dr. Mohammed H. Moghadasian is currently a Professor in the Department of Human Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Human Ecology at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. He is also a Principal Investigator at the Canadian Centre for Agri-food Research in Health and Medicine (CCARM) at the St. Boniface Hospital Research Centre, Winnipeg, Canada. He obtained his PhD in the discipline of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada in 1998. After extensive postdoctoral training in the area of functional foods and nutraceuticals, Dr. Moghadasian joined the University of Manitoba in 2003. Dr. Moghadasian’s research program is well funded through a number of major grant agencies. His research activities have extensively contributed to advancing the applications of functional foods and nutraceuticals in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Dr. Moghadasian is the primary author on numerous scientific articles plus several book chapters. Dr. Moghadasian is a recipient of a number of research and teaching excellence awards including the Canadian Nutrition Society Centrum Foundation New Scientist Award. He serves several scientific journals as a member of the Editorial Board. Dr. N.A. Michael Eskin is currently a professor in the Department of Human Nutritional Sciences and Associate Dean, Faculty of Human Ecology at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. He obtained his PhD in Physiological Chemistry at Birmingham University, United Kingdom, where he conducted research on toxicology focusing on mercapturic acid. Dr. Eskin holds several patents and has published 25 chapters and over 115 scientific papers related to edible oils and mustard gum. He has authored and edited 10 books several of which were translated into German and Japanese. Dr. Eskin is the recipient of a number of awards, including the Timothy Mounts Award by the American Oil Chem