Coloured Cereals: Nutritional Benefits And Therapeutic Properties

Abstract

Worldwide, cereals are staple foods and are needed for proper growth and development of humans. In the food industry, coloured cereals have gained popularity as potential nutraceuticals. These are high in phytochemicals, which are crucial in protecting the body from allergies, cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Due to their strong antioxidant effects, phenolic compounds have sparked a lot of interest in many scientific fields. Anthocyanins have the potential of functional food ingredient. Anthocyanins are the ubiquitous family of natural pigments which are found in large quantities in various cereals such as corn, wheat, barley, rice, sorghum and its varieties and various colored cereals like black, red, and pink cereals. Cereals contain phenolic compounds which are found in either bound or Free State, which is called the total phenolic compound content. The present review provides health benefits properties of various photochemical of cereals, including phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanin, proanthocyanidins, tocopherols and phytates.