Oils and Oilseeds in the Nutraceutical and Functional Food Industries

A substantial change in dietary habits complemented with the consumption of some bioactive compounds, which can be contained in functional foods or nutraceuticals, may constitute an effective way to reduce the incidence of these pathologies. Vegetable and seed oils provide a broad range of components (including micro and macronutrients as well as phytochemicals) that can exert health benefits, related to beneficial bioactivity. This chapter provides a description of the main bioactivities associated with the consumption of some oils. Applications in functional foods include the use of phytosterols, which are naturally contained in vegetable oils and are able to reduce circulating cholesterol levels mainly by reducing its absorption in the gut due to their similar structure. Aside from the bioactive compounds contained in oils and oilseeds, the oil industry generates large amounts of waste that could be potentially recovered and used as valuable dietary components.