Lipids as Nutraceuticals: A Shift in Paradigm

Abstract For decades, lipids were speculated as harmful components of diet due to their high calorific value. With the recent focus on beneficial effects of various food components, lipids have emerged as functional food as they not only maintain the energy balance but also alleviate the risk of burdensome diseases, such as cancer, obesity, neurological, and cardiovascular disorders. Initial epidemiological observations of Greenland Eskimos shed the light on possible health benefits of n- 3 PUFAs and other dietary lipids. Since then much attention has been paid to the noncalorific roles played by MUFAs, PUFAs, and phytosterols and their role in development and progression of diseases. Dietary intake of these lipids has been shown to suppress inflammation, Aβ production and deposition, hypercholesterolemia, and dyslipidemia. Additionally, these have also been implicated in other cellular signaling pathways including cell proliferation, programmed cell death, and cell survival. This chapter will discuss lipidic compounds from various sources and potential advantages of their incorporation into human diet as functional food.