PLANT- BASED DIETS AND YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT 13 THRIVE Edition 2 Dr. Hema Kesa, Director, FERL and Senior Lecturer, Hospitality, STH Dr Eridiong Onyenweaku, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow There is a growing need to boost immunity in order to prevent disease and improve health, which is in line with one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – “Good health and Wellbeing”. Research has shown the role of healthy diets in the prevention of both chronic and infectious diseases. It has been reported that oxidative stress is one of the major causative factors in the induction of many diseases or conditions such as atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, ageing, diabetes mellitus, cancer and immunosuppression. Many plant species and their different parts (leaves, stem, fruits, etc.) have been discovered to contain chemical compounds exhibiting antioxidant properties. These compounds include flavonoids, phenols, vitamins, minerals and carotenoids. Antioxidants possess free radical chain reaction breaking properties. Recently there is increasing interest in the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants as antioxidants in reducing oxidative stress-induced tissue injury. Among the numerous naturally occurring antioxidants, ascorbic acid, carotenoids and phenolic compounds are more effective.
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