Nutraceuticals in Human Health

Have you noticed how quickly advertisements of immunity boosters have mushroomed recently? Turmeric latte, tulsi, amla, ginger, . . . the list goes on. Whether such supplements really work or whether the effect is purely psychological is a different matter—but Nutraceuticals in Human Health goes a long way in helping you to make sense of what nutraceuticals are, to examine the oft exaggerated claims of their benefits, and to separate marketing gimmicks from truth. Whereas marked changes in the lifestyles of Indians, particularly those living in cities, have greatly increased the incidence of such lifestyle-related disorders as diabetes and hypertension and in diseases of the heart, the covid-19 pandemic has made people greatly conscious of their health and well-being. That consciousness has also fuelled the demand for ‘nutraceuticals’, a term that the Oxford dictionary offers as a synonym for ‘functional food’, defining it simply as “a food containing health-giving additives.” However, there is much more to nutraceuticals than that.