Abstract

NUTRACEUTICALS FUNCTIONAL FOOD: A HOLISTIC APPROACH IN MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES

Nabeela Begum*, Kiranmai Mandhava and Venu Madhav Katla

Abstract

This study focussed on the role of Nutraceutical functional food in the management of Diabetes. Diabetes Mellitus is a major chronic metabolic disorder caused by an acquired deficiency in the production of insulin by the pancreas. About 422 million people worldwide have diabetes and 1.6 million deaths attributed to diabetes each year. For the management of Diabetes, Neutraceuticals functional food has been an attractive option over conventional therapies as it is of natural origin imposes fewer side effects, safer in use, and is of nutritional value. Medicinal plant-derived Neutraceutical functional food is defined as “food similar in appearance to conventional food have physiological benefits beyond basic nutritional function”. Nutraceuticals comprise herbs, nutrients, dietary supplements, vitamins, and micronutrients. Functional food composed mainly of bioactive components of medicinal plant extracts containing anti-diabetic properties plays a significant role to combat chronic diseases like diabetes. Healthy antioxidants and nutrient-rich food incorporated into the diet of diabetic patients help to overcome diabetic-associated complications such as oxidative stress, obesity, etc. These also have major value in consumer demand and have become the promising approach in the management of Diabetes. This review summarizes Neutraceutical functional food ingredients and herbals extract bioactive phytochemicals with anti-diabetic properties benefiting the quality lifestyle of the diabetic population.

Keywords: Diabetes Mellitus, Nutraceuticals, Functional Food, Diet, Herbal extracts, Bioactive phytochemicals.