Dietary antioxidant properties of vegetable oils and nuts – the race against cardiovascular disease progression

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a substantial and growing problem in most of the developing regions of the world. Evidence from experimental, clinical and epidemiological studies has unequivocally pointed to oxidative stress as the key culprit in the pathogenesis of CVD [1, 2]. CVD continues to remain a concern in developed countries and is a growing health concern worldwide. Although death rates from CVD have decreased in many countries due to advances in the field of medicine, the prevalence of CVD risk factors continues to increase. Diet is a centrally important, modifiable risk factor in the prevention of CVD [221¨224]. The protection offered by foods is probably mediated through multiple beneficial nutrients contained in these foods, including mono¨ and polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidant vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, fibre and plant protein. In dietary practice, healthy plant¨ based diets do not necessarily have to be low in fat. Instead, these diets may include unsatu‐ rated fats as the predominant form of dietary fat (e.g., fats from natural vegetable oils and nuts). Consistent evidence suggests that diets rich in fruit and vegetables and other plant foods are associated with moderately lower overall mortality rates and lower death rates from chronic diseases including CVD [3¨ 6]. The }antioxidant hypothesis~ proposes that vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids and other antioxidant nutrients offer protection against CVD by decreasing oxidative damage [7¨9].