~ 385 ~ Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2019; 8(5): 385-395 E-ISSN: 2278-4136 P-ISSN: 2349-8234 JPP 2019; 8(5): 385-395 Received: 08-07-2019 Accepted: 12-08-2019 Dr. Rakesh Sharma Department of Food Science and Technology, Dr. Y S Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Nauni-Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India Dr. Satish Kumar Food Technology and Nutrition, School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India Dr. Vikas Kumar Food Technology and Nutrition, School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India Dr. Abhishek Thakur Department of Food Science and Technology, Dr. Y S Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Nauni-Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India Correspondence Dr. Rakesh Sharma Department of Food Science and Technology, Dr. Y S Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Nauni-Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India Comprehensive review on nutraceutical significance of phytochemicals as functional food ingredients for human health management Rakesh Sharma, Satish Kumar, Vikas Kumar and Abhishek Thakur DOI: http://doi.org/10.22271/phyto.2019.v8.i5h.9589 Abstract Plants have been claimed to possess potential therapeutic properties in the traditional medicine system and were used for treating a large number of diseases especially by tribal people. Furthermore, potential of plant derived medicines has not only contributed towards health and wellbeing of human but also has inspired the scientific community for novel drug development. Phytochemicals are plant components having discrete bio-activities with a variety of health benefits and are sometimes referred to as functional ingredients/ nutraceutical compounds and are identified as carotenoids, vitamins, minerals, fibers, fatty acids, peptides, proteins and secondary plant metabolites. Whereas, phenolics, terpenoids, glucosinolates, pollyacetylene, phytosterols & phytostanols and non-digestible carbohydrates and are present in in a good amount in fruits, vegetables, nuts, cereals and legumes. Various epidemiologic studies over decades have indicated that a continuous consumption of fruits and vegetables in regular diet is often correlated with decreased risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and age-related macular degeneration. However, identification, quantification, standardization of extraction techniques for different compounds and their incorporation in food products with higher stability are major focus areas for research personals and for commercial establishments to put them in direct use as food. Most of studies carried out presently primarily focuses on establishment of scientific rationale to support the use of phytochemicals as potential nutraceutical ingredients. Hence, a broad outline of different phytochemicals and their health concerns is essential as many of these phytochemicals have been reported to illicit both positive as well as negative biological effects. Keywords: Phytochemicals, nutraceuticals, functional foods, food applications, disease management Introduction Presently, transition in lifestyle, changes in food consumption pattern combined with a high level of mental stress has resulted increased incidences of lifestyle related problems like heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer and hypertension [1, 2] . All these factors have contributed towards increased interest of consumers in specific food or food components which can maintain and improve health over a specific consumption period [3] . As a result, researchers has shifted their focus from identifying nutrients and amounts needed to prevent deficiency diseases, towards improving health and quality of life by incorporating and stabilizing such components in food products. The plant based bioactive compounds or ‘phytochemicals’ are non-nutritive compounds associated with protection against chronic degenerative diseases and have been used in traditional medicine system since humans have looked to nature to provide cures for various ailments and diseases [4] . In recent times, applications of phytochemicals have extended into other areas especially nutraceutical and functional foods [5] . The term nutraceutical is derived from two words "nutrition" and "pharmaceutical" and Stephen De Felice, the founder and chairman of Foundation for Innovation in Medicine (FIM), Cranford in 1989 has referred it to as “any substance that is a food or a part of a food which provides medical or health benefits including the prevention and treatment of disease” [6] . Nutraceutical is a product isolated or purified from foods that is generally sold in medicinal forms not usually associated with foods. There is an extremely wide range of functional ingredients which have been consumed knowingly or unknowingly over the time either in one or the other forms of food [2, 4, 7, 8] . Some functional ingredients/ bioactive or nutraceutical compounds identified by various researchers have been summarized in Table 1. Hence, keeping in view the potential of these compounds in health care system, the present article has been compiled to provide a comprehensive review of different types of phytochemicals along with their health-promoting activities and potential use as functional food ingredient or food supplements. This review focuses on health benefits of specific phytochemicals, however toxic nature of these phytochemicals is not discussed in this document.