Chapter 3 Nutraceutical properties of dietary lipids

Lipids have been described as harmful components of food due to their high caloric value and some unhealthy effects, in particular their association with cardiome- tabolic disorders. In recent decades, the research mainly focused on exploring the beneficial effects of plant's bioactive components, where lipids have been reported with associated health benefits. Thus, they emerged as one of the functional foods. They help the host to decrease the risk of chronic pathologies like obesity, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, and neurological ailments. Initial observations shed light on omega-3-fatty acids and other dietary lipids for their possible health benefits but thereafter much attention has been paid to unsaturated fatty acids and phytosterols for their noncalorific roles in prevention and treatment of certain diseased states. Regular intake of these lipids in adequate amount may not only suppress hypercholesterolemia, systemic inflammation, and neurodegeneration but also play a critical role in other signaling pathways in the body like cell survival, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. This chapter focuses on dietary lipids from different sources and their potential nutraceutical benefits providing a roadmap for the possibility of their incorporation in human diet as functional foods.