Biologically active substances in human diets
As part of food products, exogenous biologically active substances enter our body. Such substances include vitamins, mineral salts and a very large number of different organic biologically active components of living plant cells. The latter include substances such as peptides, oligosaccharides, fatty and organic acids, alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, resins, gums, etc. Some types of vitamins, as well as substances that have hormonal and antibiotic activity, in the case of high-quality nutrition can be synthesized by microflorain the large intestine.
Fresh food and medicinal plants are a rich source of biologically active substances, and in food plants such as vegetables, fruits, leafy greens, spices and others, they contain fewer than in medicinal plants.
In general, any medicinal product is a particular case of a biologically active substance, with the most pronounced pharmacological, physiological or biological activity. Medicinal plants are not used for food, referring unconditionally to medicinal plants. They contain the above biologically active substances in high concentrations.
The quantity and, above all, the quality of biologically active substances coming with food, determines to a great extent the state of human health. You can give a lot of examples of human consumption of tea, coffee, garlic, onion, various teas based on ginseng, St. John's wort, mint and other plants, immediately after taking their tonic, stimulating, anti-inflammatory, calming effect and many other positive effects.
The inclusion in the diet of natural, unprocessed plant foods, various teas, infused on various herbs, leaves of the garden, garden and fields, creates favorable conditions for normal vital activity of the organism, high mental and physical performance, vivacity and resistance to any adverse effects.
The human diet, and in particular the set of food consumed and the chemical composition of food, and underwent a drastic change as a result of the advancement of man along the path of civilization and scientific and technological progress. The use of heat treatment of food with fire made it easier to preserve food for a longer time, and also increased their digestibility and taste. But it also led to the destruction in the consumed products of most of the biologically active substances. Moreover, the development of agricultural production has led to the fact that crop products have produced residual amounts of pesticides, fertilizers and other foreign substances for the product and harmful substances for humans.
Materials used:
Shilov VN, Mits'yo VP"Healthy Nutrition"